The Arabian nights : their best-known tales

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iHE .ABIAN NIGHTS

THEIR BEST-KNOWN TALES

EDITED BY

-All' DOVGLAS WIGGIN
A ND NORA A SMITH

ILLY ST RAT ED BY
MAXFIELD PARRISH

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Digitized by the Internet Archive

in 2007 with funding from

IVIicrosoft Corporation

http://www.archive.org/details/arabiannightstheOOwigg

THE ARABIAN NIGHTS

THE
ARABIAN NIGHTS

THEIR BEST- KNOWN TALES

Copyright, 1909, by
Charles Scribner's Sons

Published October, 1909

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PREFACE

Little excuse is needed, perhaps, for any fresh selection from
the famous " Tales of a Thousand and One Nights," provided it
be representative enough, and worthy enough, to enlist a new army
of youthful readers. Of the two hundred and sixty -four bewilder-
ing, unparalleled stories, the true lover can hardly spare one, yet
there must always be favourites, even among these. We have
chosen some of the most delightful, in our opinion; some, too,
that chanced to appeal particularly to the genius of the artist. If,
enticed by our choice and the beauty of the pictures, we manage to
attract a few thousand more true lovers to the fountain-book, we
shall have served our humble turn. The only real danger lies in
neglecting it, in rearing a child who does not know it and has
never fallen under its spell.

You remember Maimoune, in the story of Prince Camaralza-
man, and what she said to Danhasch, the genie who had just
arrived from the farthest limits of China? ''Be sure thou tellest
me nothing but what is true or I shall clip thy wings!" This is
what the modern child sometimes says to the genies of literature,
and his own wings are too often clipped in consequence.

" The Empire of the Fairies is no more.
Reason has hanisJwd tliem from evWy shore;
Steam Jias outstripped tlieir dragons and tJieir cars.
Gas has eclipsed tlieir glow-worms and their stars."

Edouard Laboulaye says in his introduction to Nouveaux
Contes Bleus : ''Mothers who love your children,do not set them
too soon to the study of history ; let them dream while they are
young. Do not close the soul to the first breath of poetry. Noth-

[V]

PREFACE

ing affrights me so much as the reasonable, practical child who be-
lieves in nothing that he cannot touch. These sages of ten years
are, at twenty, dullards, or what is still worse, egoists.**

When a child has once read of Prince Agib, of Chdnare or
Periezade, Sinbad or Codadad, in this or any other volume of its
kind, the magic will have been instilled into the blood, for the Ori-
ental flavour in the Arab tales is like nothing so much as magic.
True enough they are a vast storehouse of information concerning
the manners and the customs, the spirit and the life of the Moslem
East {and the youthful reader does not have to study Lane's
learned foot-notes to imbibe all this), but beyond and above the
knowledge of history and geography thus gained, there comes
something finer and subtler as well as something more vital. The
scene is Indian, Egyptian, Arabian, Persian; but Bagdad and Bal-
sora, Grand Cairo, the silver Tigris, and the blooming gardens
of Damascus, though they can be found indeed on the map, live
much more truly in that enchanted realm that rises o'er 'Hhe foam
of perilous seas in faery lands forlorn.** What craft can sail those
perilous seas like the book that has been called a great three-decker
to carry tired people to Islands of the Blest? *' The immortal frag-
TTient,** says Sir Richard Burton, who perhaps knew the Arabian
Nights as did no other European, ^^will never be superseded in
the infallible judgment of childhood. The marvellous imagina-
tiveness of the Tales produces an insensible brightness of mind
and an increase of fancy-power, making one dream that behind
them lies the new and unseen, the strange and unexpected — in
fact, all the glamour of the unknown.**

It would be a delightful task to any boy or girl to begin at the
beginning and read the first English version of these famous stories,
made from the collection of M. Galland, Professor of Arabic in
the Royal College of Paris. The fact that they had passed from

[ vi ]

PREFACE

Arabic into French and from French into English did not pre-
vent their instantaneous popularity. This was in 1704 or there-
abouts, and the world was not so busy as it is nowadays, or young
men would not have gathered in the middle of the night under M.
Galland^s window and cried: "0 vous, qui savez de si jolis contes,
et qui les racontez si bien, racontez nous en un!"

You can also read them in Scott^s edition or in Lane^s (both of
which, but chiefly the former, we have used as the foundation of our
text), while your elders — philologists or Orientalists — are studying
the complete versions of John Payne or Sir Richard Burton. You
may leave the wiseacres to wonder which were told in China or
India, Arabia or Persia, and whether the first manuscript dates
back to 1450 or earlier.

We, like many other editors, have shortened the stories here and
there, omitting some of the tedious repetitions that crept in from
time to time when Arabian story-tellers were adding to the text
to suit their purposes.

Mr. Andrew Lang says amusingly that he has left out of his
special versions ''all the pieces that are suitable only for Arabs
and old gentlemen," and we have done the same; but we have taken
no undue liberties. We have removed no genies nor magicians,
however terrible; have cut out no base deed of Vizier nor noble
deed of Sultan; have diminished the size of no roc's egg, nor
omitted any single allusion to the great and only Haroun Al-
raschid. Caliph of Bagdad, Commander of the Faithful, who must
have been a great inspirer of good stories.

Enter into this ''treasure house of pleasant things," then, and
make yourself at home in the golden palaces, the gem-studded
caves, the bewildering gardens. Sit by its mysterious fountains,
hear the plash of its gleaming cascades, unearth its magic lamps
and talismans, behold its ensor celled princes and princesses.

[ vii ]

PREFACE

Nowhere in the whole realm of literature will you find su^h a
Marvel, such a Wonder, such a Nonesuch of a book; nowhere
will you find impossibilities so real and so convincing; nowhere
but in what Henley calls:

"... tliat hlessM brief

Of wJiat is gallaniest and best
In all tJie full-shelved Libraries of Romance.
The Booh of rocs.

Sandalwood, ivory, turbans, ambergris,
Cream-tarts, and lettered apes, and Calenders,

And ghoids, and genies — O so huge
Tliey might have overed the tall Minster Tower,

Hands down, as schoolboys take a post;

In truth the Book of Camaralzaman,
Schemselnihar and Sinhad, Scheherezade

The peerless, Bedreddin, Badroulbadour,
Cairo and Serendib and Candahar,
And Caspian, and tJie dim, terrific bulk —
Ice-ribbed, fiend-visited, isled in spells and storms —

Of Kaf . . . That centre of miracles

The sole, unparalleled Arabian Nights."

Kate Dougi^^s Wiggin.
August, 1909.

[ viii ]

CONTENTS

PAQB

The Talking Bird, the Singing Tree, and the

Golden Water 3

The Story of the FiSHERiViAN and the Genie ... 52

The History of the Young King of the Black Isles 67

The Story of Gulnare of the Sea 81

The Story of Aladdin; or, the Wonderful Lamp . 97

The Story of Prince Agib 190

The Story of the City of Brass 205

The Story of Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves . . 229

The History of Codadad and His Brothers . . . 264

The Story of Sinbad the Voyager 290

I ix ]

ILLUSTRATIONS

FROM DRAWINGS IN COLORS
BY MAXFIELD PARRISH

FACING
PAGE

The Talking Bird . 32

It will be sufficient to break off a branch and carry it to
plant in your garden

The Fisherman and the Genie 54

The smoke ascended to the clouds, and extending itself along
the sea and upon the shore formed a great mist

The Young King of the Black Isles 74

When he came to this part of his narrative the young king
could not restrain his tears

Oulnare of the Sea 86

And she proceeded to burn perfume and repeat spells until the
sea foamed and was agitated

Aladdin 106

At the same time the earth, trembling, opened just before the
magician, and uncovered a stone, laid horizontally, with a
brass ring fixed into the middle

Prince Agib 194

And when the boat came to me I found in it a man
of brass, with a tablet of lead upon his breast,
engraven with names and talismans

[xi]

ILLUSTRATIONS

FACIKO

PAOB

Prince Agib 20f8

At the approach of evening I opened the first closet and, entering
it, found a mansion like paradise

The City of Brass 218

And when they had ascended that mountain they saw a city than
which eyes had not beheld any greater

The Story of Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves 236

Cassim . . . was so alarmed at the danger he was in that the
more he endeavoured to remember the word Sesame the more
his memory was confounded

The History of Codadad and His Brothers 276

As it drew near we saw ten or twelve armed pirates appear on the deck

Second Voyage of Sinbad 300

The spot where she left me was encompassed on all sides by moun-
tains that seemed to reach above the clouds, and so steep that
there was no possibility of getting out of the valley

Third Voyage of Sinbad 306

Having finished his repast, he returned to his porch, where he lay
and fell asleep, snoring louder than thunder

[xii]

THE ARABIAN NIGHTS

"When the breeze of a joyful dawn blew free
In the silken sail of infancy,
The tide of time flow'd back with me,

The forward-flowing time of time;
And many a sheeny summer morn,
Adown the Tigris I was borne.
By Bagdat's shrines of fretted gold.
High- walled gardens green and old;
True Mussulman was I and sworn.
For it was in the golden prime
Of good Haroun Alraschid.

"Anight my shallop, rustling thro'

The low and bloomed foliage, drove
The fragrant, glistening deeps, and clove
The citron-shadows in the blue:

By garden porches on the brim.
The costly doors flung open wide.

Gold glittering thro' lamplight dim.
And broider'd sofas on each side:
In sooth it was a goodly time.
For it was in the golden prime
Of good Haroun Alraschid."

Alfred, Lord Tennyson.

THE TALKING BIRD, THE SINGING TREE.
AND THE GOLDEN WATER

THERE was an emperor of Persia naraed Kosrouschah,
who, when he first came to his crown, in order to obtain
a knowledge of affairs, took great pleasure in night ex-
cursions, attended by a trusty minister. He often walked in
disguise through the city, and met with many adventures, one of
the most remarkable of which happened to him upon his first
ramble, which was not long after his accession to the throne of
his father.

After the ceremonies of his father's funeral rites and his own
inauguration were over, the new sultan, as well from inclination
as from duty, went out one evening attended by his grand vizier,
disguised like himself, to observe what was transacting in the
city. As he was passing through a street in that part of the town
inhabited only by the meaner sort, he heard some people talking
very loud; and going close to the house whence the noise pro-
ceeded, and looking through a crack in the door, perceived a light,
and three sisters sitting on a sofa, conversing together after supper.
By what the eldest said he presently understood the subject of
their conversation was wishes: "for," said she, "since we are
talking about wishes, mine shall be to have the sultan's baker
for my husband, for then I shall eat my fill of that bread, which
by way of excellence is called the sultan's ; let us see if your tastes
are as good as mine." "For my part," replied the second sister*

[3]

THE ARABIAN NIGHTS

"I wish I was wife to the sultan's chief cook, for then I should
eat of the most excellent dishes ; and as I am persuaded that the
sultan's bread is common in the palace, I should not want any
of that; therefore you see," addressing herself to her eldest
sister, "that I have a better taste than you." The youngest
sister, who was very beautiful, and had more charms and wit
than the two elder, spoke in her turn: "For my part, sisters,"
said she, **I shall not limit my desires to such trifles, but take a
higher flight; and since we are upon wishing, I wish to be the
emperor's queen-consort. I would make him father of a prince,
whose hair should be gold on one side of his head, and silver on
the other; when he cried, the tears from his eyes should be pearls;
and wh<;n he smiled, his vermilion lips should look like a rosebud
fresh-blown."

The three sisters' wishes, particularly that of the youngest,
seemed so singular to the sultan, that he resolved to gratify them
in their desires; but without communicating his design to his
grand vizier, he charged him only to take notice of the house, and
bring the three sisters before him the following day.

The grand vizier, in executing the emperor's orders, would
but just give the sisters time to dress themselves to appear before
his majesty, without telling them the reason. He brought them to
the palace, and presented them to the emperor, who said to them,
**Do you remember the wishes you expressed last night, when you

I were all in so pleasant a mood ? Speak the truth ; I must know
what they were." At these unexpected words of the emperor,
the three sisters were much confounded. They cast down their

/ eyes and blushed, and the colour which rose in the cheeks of the
youngest quite captivated the emperor's heart. Modesty, and
fear lest they might have offended by their conversation, kept
them silent. The emperor, perceiving their confusion, said to

[ 4 ]

THE TALKING BIRD

encourage them, "Fear nothing, I did not send for you to distress
you ; and since I see that without my intending it, this is the effect
of the question I asked, as I know the wish of each, I will reheve
you from your fears. You," added he, "who wished to be my
wife, shall have your desire this day; and you," continued he,
addressing himself to the two elder sisters, "shall also be married
to my chief baker and cook."

As soon as the sultan had declared his pleasure, the youngest
sister, setting her elders an example, threw herself at the emperor's
feet to express her gratitude. "Sir," said she, "my wish, since
it is come to your majesty's knowledge, was expressed only in the
way of conversation and amusement. I am unworthy of the
honour you do me, and supplicate your pardon for my presump-
tion." The other two sisters would have excused themselves
also, but the emperor, interrupting them, said, "No, no; it shall
be as I have declared; the wishes of all shall be fulfilled." The
nuptials were all celebrated that day, as the emperor had resolved,
but in a different manner. The youngest sister's were solemnized
with all the rejoicings usual at the marriages of the emperors of
Persia ; and those of the other two sisters according to the quality
and distinction of their husbands; the one as the sultan's chief
baker, and the other as head cook.

The two elder felt strongly the disproportion of their marriages
to that of their younger sister. This consideration made them
far from being content, though they were arrived at the utmost
height of their late wishes, and much beyond their hopes. They
gave themselves up to an excess of jealousy, which not only dis-
turbed their joy, but was the cause of great trouble and affliction
to the queen-consort, their younger sister. They had not an
opportunity to communicate their thoughts to each other on the
preference the emperor had given her, but were altogether em-

[5]

THE ARABIAN NIGHTS

ployed in preparing themselves for the celebration of their mar-
riages. Some days afterward, when they had an opportunity of
seeing each other at the public baths, the eldest said to the other :
"Well, what say you to our sister's great fortune? Is not she a
fine person to be a queen!" "I must own," said the other sister,
*'I cannot conceive what charms the emperor could discover to
be so bewitched by her. Was it a reason sufficient for him not
to cast his eyes on you, because she was somewhat younger.?
You were as worthy of his throne, and in justice he ought to have
preferred you."

"Sister," said the elder, *'I should not have regretted if his
majesty had but pitched upon you; but that he should choose
that little simpleton really grieves me. But I will revenge myself;
and you, I think, are as much concerned as I; therefore, I propose
that we should contrive measures and act in concert : communi-
cate to me what you think the likeliest way to mortify her, while I,
on my side, will inform you what my desire of revenge shall sug-
gest to me." After this wicked agreement, the two sisters saw
each other frequently, and consulted how they might disturb and
interrupt the happiness of the queen. They proposed a great
many ways, but in deliberating about the manner of executing
them, found so many difficulties that they durst not attempt
them. In the meantime, with a detestable dissimulation, they
often went together to make her visits, and every time showed her
all the marks of affection they could devise, to persuade her how
overjoyed they were to have a sister raised to so high a fortune.
The queen, on her part, constantly received them with all the
demonstrations of esteem they could expect from so near a
relative. Some time after her marriage, the expected birth of an
heir gave great joy to the queen and emperor, which was com-
municated to all the court, and spread throughout the empire.

[6]

THE TALKING BIRD

Upon this news the two sisters came to pay their comphments,
and proffered their services, desiring her, if not provided with
nurses, to accept of them.

The queen said to them most obhgingly: "Sisters, I should
desire nothing more, if it were in my power to make the choice.
I am, however, obhged to you for your goodwill, but must submit
to what the emperor shall order on this occasion. Let your
husbands employ their friends to make interest, and get some
courtier to ask this favour of his majesty, and if he speaks to me
about it, be assured that I shall not only express the pleasure he
does me but thank him for making choice of you."

The two husbands applied themselves to some courtiers, their
patrons, and begged of them to use their interest to procure their
wives the honour they aspired to. Those patrons exerted them-
selves so much in their behalf that the emperor promised them
to consider of the matter, and was as good as his word; for in
conversation with the queen he told her that he thought her
sisters were the most proper persons to be about her, but would
not name them before he had asked her consent. The queen,
sensible of the deference the emperor so obligingly paid her, said
to him, "Sir, I was prepared to do as your majesty might please
to command. But since you have been so kind as to think of
my sisters, I thank you for the regard you have shown them for
my sake, and therefore I shall not dissemble that I had rather
have them than strangers.'* The emperor therefore named the
queen's two sisters to be her attendants; and from that time
they went frequently to the palace, overjoyed at the opportunity
they would have of executing the detestable wickedness they
had meditated against the queen.

Shortly afterward a young prince, as bright as the day, was
born to the queen ; but neither his innocence nor beauty could

[7]

THE ARABIAN NIGHTS

move the cruel hearts of the merciless sisters. They wrapped
him up carelessly in his cloths and put him into a basket, which
they abandoned to the stream of a small canal that ran under
the queen's apartment, and declared that she had given birth
to a puppy. This dreadful intelligence was announced to the
emperor, who became so angry at the circumstance, that he was
likely to have occasioned the queen's death, if his grand vizier
had not represented to him that he could not, without injustice,
make her answerable for the misfortune.

In the meantime, the basket in which the little prince was
exposed was carried by the stream beyond a wall which bounded
the prospect of the queen's apartment, and from thence floated
with the current down the gardens. By chance the intendant
of the emperor's gardens, one of the principal officers of the
kingdom, was walking in the garden by the side of this canal, and,
perceiving a basket floating, called to a gardener who was not far
off, to bring it to shore that he might see what it contained. The
gardener, with a rake which he had in his hand, drew the basket
to the side of the canal, took it up, and gave it to him. The
intendant of the gardens was extremely surprised to see in the
basket a child, which, though he knew it could be but just born,
had very fine features. This officer had been married several
years, but though he had always been desirous of having children,
Heaven had never blessed him with any. This accident inter-
rupted his walk : he made the gardener follow him with the child,
and when he came to his own house, which was situated at the
entrance to the gardens of the palace, went into his wife's
apartment. *' Wife," said he, " as we have no children of our own,
God has sent us one. I recommend him to you; provide him a
nurse, and take as much care of him as if he were our own son;
for, from this moment, I acknowledge him as such." The in-

[ 8 ]

THE TALKING BIRD

tendant's wife received the child with great joy, and took particular
pleasure in the care of him. The intendant himself would not
inquire too narrowly whence the infant came. He saw plainly it
came not far off from the queen's apartment, but it was not his
business to examine too closely into what had passed, nor to
create disturbances in a place where peace was so necessary.

The following year another prince was born, on whom the un-
natural sisters had no more compassion than on his brother, but
exposed him likewise in a basket and set him adrift in the canal,
pretending, this time, that the sultana had given birth to a cat.
It was happy also for this child that the intendant of the gardens
was walking by the canal side, for he had it carried to his wife,
and charged her to take as much care of it as of the former,
which was as agreeable to her inclination as it was to his own.

The emperor of Persia was more enraged this time against
the queen than before, and she had felt the effects of his anger if
the grand vizier's remonstrances had not prevailed. The third
year the queen gave birth to a princess, which innocent babe
underwent the same fate as her brothers, for the two sisters, being
determined not to desist from their detestable schemes till they
had seen the queen cast off and humbled, claimed that a log of
wood had been born and exposed this infant also on the canal.
But the princess, as well as her brothers, was preserved from death
by the compassion and charity of the intendant of the gardens.

Kosrouschah could no longer contain himself, when he was
informed of the new misfortune. He pronounced sentence of
death upon the wretched queen and ordered the grand vizier to
see it executed.

The grand vizier and the courtiers who were present cast
themselves at the emperor's feet, to beg of him to revoke the
sentence. "Your majesty, I hope, will give me leave," said the

[ 9 ]

THE ARABIAN NIGHTS

grand vizier, "to represent to you, that the laws which condemn
persons to death were made to punish crimes ; the three extraor-
dinary misfortunes of the queen are not crimes, for in what can
she be said to have contributed toward them ? Your majesty
may abstain from seeing her, but let her live. The affliction in
which she will spend the rest of her life, after the loss of your
favour, will be a punishment sufficiently distressing/'

The emperor of Persia considered with himself, and, rej3ecting
that it was unjust to condemn the queen to death for what had
happened, said: "Let her live then; I will spare her life, but it
shall be on this condition : that she shall desire to die more than
once every day. Let a wooden shed be built for her at the gate
of the principal mosque, with iron bars to the windows, and
let her be put into it, in the coarsest habit ; and every Mussulman
that shall go into the mosque to prayers shall heap scorn upon
her. If any one fail, I will have him exposed to the same punish-
ment; and that I may be punctually obeyed, I charge you, vizier,
to appoint persons to see this done." The emperor pronounced
his sentence in such a tone that the grand vizier durst not further
remonstrate; and it was executed, to the great satisfaction of the
two envious sisters. A shed was built, and the queen, truly
worthy of compassion, was put into it and exposed ignominiously
to the contempt of the people, which usage she bore with a
patient resignation that excited the compassion of those who
were discriminating and judged of things better than the vulgar.

The two princes and the princess were, in the meantime,
nursed and brought up by the intendant of the gardens and his
wife with the tenderness of a father and mother; and as they
advanced in age, they all showed marks of superior dignity, which
discovered itself every day by a certain air which could only belong
to exalted birth. All this increased the affections of the intendant

[ 10 ]

THE TALKING BIRD

and his wife, who called the eldest prince Bahman, and the second
Perviz, both of them names of the most ancient emperors of
Persia, and the princess, Periezade, which name also had been
borne by several queens and princesses of the kingdom.

As soon as the two princes were old enough, the intendant
provided proper masters to teach them to read and write; and
the princess, their sister, who was often with them, showing a great
desire to learn, the intendant, pleased with her quickness, em-
ployed the same master to teach her also. Her vivacity and
piercing wit made her, in a little time, as great a proficient as her
brothers. From that time the brothers and sister had the same
masters in geography, poetry, history, and even the secret sciences,
and made so wonderful a progress that their tutors were amazed,
and frankly owned that they could teach them nothing more. At
the hours of recreation, the princess learned to sing and play upon
all sorts of instruments; and when the princes were learning to ride
she would not permit them to have that advantage over her, but
went through all the exercises with them, learning to ride also,
to bend the bow, and dart the reed or javelin, and oftentimes out-
did them in the race and other contests of agility.

The intendant of the gardens was so overjoyed to find his
adopted children so accomplished in all the perfections of body
and mind, and that they so well requited the expense he had
been at in their education, that he resolved to be at a still greater;
for, as he had until then been content simply with his lodge at the
entrance of the garden, and kept no country-house, he purchased
a mansion at a short distance from the city, surrounded by a
large tract of arable land, meadows, and woods. As the house
was not sufficiently handsome nor convenient, he pulled it down,
and spared no expense in building a more magnificent residence.
He went every day to hasten, by his presence, the great number

[ 11 ]

THE ARABIAN NIGHTS

of workmen he employed, and as soon as there was an apartment
ready to receive him, passed several days together there when his
presence was not necessary at court; and by the same exertions,
the interior was furnished in the richest manner, in consonance
with the magnificence of the edifice. Afterward he made gar-
dens, according to a plan drawn by himself. He took in a large
extent of ground, which he walled around, and stocked with
fallow deer, that the princes and princess might divert themselves
with hunting when they chose.

When this country seat was finished and fit for habitation,
the intendant of the gardens went and cast himself at the emper-
or's feet, and, after representing how long he had served, and the
infirmities of age which he found growing upon him, begged that
he might be permitted to resign his charge into his majesty's
disposal and retire. The emperor gave him leave, with the more
pleasure, because he was satisfied with his long services, both in
his father's reign and his own, and when he granted it, asked what
he should do to recompense him. *'Sir," replied the intendant of
the gardens, "I have received so many obligations from your
majesty and the late emperor, your father, of happy memory, that
I desire no more than the honour of dying in your favour." He
took his leave of the emperor and retired with the two princes and
the princess to the country retreat he had built. His wife had been
dead some years, and he himself had not lived above six months
with his charges before he was surprised by so sudden a death that
he had not time to give them the least account of the manner in
which he had discovered them. The Princes Bahman andPerviz,
and the Princess Periezade, who knew no other father than the
intendant of the emperor's gardens, regretted and bewailed him
as such, and paid all the honours in his funeral obsequies which
love and filial gratitude required of them. Satisfied with the

[ 12 ]

THE TALKING BIRD

plentiful fortune he had left them, they lived together in perfect
union, free from the ambition of distinguishing themselves at
court, or aspiring to places of honour and dignity, which they
might easily have obtained.

One day when the two princes were hunting, and the princess
had remained at home, a religious old woman came to the gate,
and desired leave to go in to say her prayers, it being then the hour.
The servants asked the princess's permission, who ordered them
to show her into the oratory, which the intendant of the emperor's
gardens had taken care to fit up in his house, for want of a mosque
in the neighbourhood. She bade them, also, after the good woman
had finished her prayers, to show her the house and gardens and
then bring her to the hall.

The old woman went into the oratory, said her prayers, and
when she came out two of the princess's women invited her to
see the residence, which civility she accepted, followed them
from one apartment to another, and observed, like a person who
understood what belonged to furniture, the nice arrangement
of everything. They conducted her also into the garden, the
disposition of which she found so well planned, that she admired
it, observing that the person who had formed it must have been .
an excellent master of his art. Afterward she was brought be-
fore the princess, who waited for her in the great hall, which in
beauty and richness exceeded all that she had admired in the
other apartments.

As soon as the princess saw the devout woman, she said to
her: "My good mother, come near and sit down by me. I am
overjoyed at the happiness of having the opportunity of profiting
for some moments by the example and conversation of such a
person as you, who have taken the right way by dedicating
yourself to the service of God. I wish every one were as wise."

[ 13 ]

THE ARABIAN NIGHTS

The devout woman, instead of sitting on a sofa, would only
sit upon the edge of one. The princess would not permit her to do
so, but rising from her seat and taking her by the hand, obliged
her to come and sit by her. The good woman, sensible of the
civility, said: "Madam, I ought not to have so much respect
shown me; but since you command, and are mistress of your own
house, I will obey you." When she had seated herself, before
they entered into any conversation, one of the princess's women
brought a low stand of mother-of-pearl and ebony, with a china
dish full of cakes upon it, and many others set round it full of
fruits in season, and wet and dry sweetmeats.

The princess took up one of the cakes, and presenting her
with it, said: "Eat, good mother, and make choice of what you
like best; you had need to eat after coming so far." "Madam,"
replied the good woman, "I am not used to eat such delicacies,
but will not refuse what God has sent me by so liberal a hand as
yours."

While the devout woman was eating, the princess ate a little
too, to bear her company, and asked her many questions upon the
exercise of devotion which she practised and how she lived; all
of which she answered with great modesty. Talking of various
things, at last the princess asked her what she thought of the
house, and how she liked it.

"Madam," answered the devout woman, "I must certainly
have very bad taste to disapprove anything in it, since it is beau-
tiful, regular, and magnificently furnished with exactness and
judgment, and all its ornaments adjusted in the best manner.
Its situation is an agreeable spot, and no garden can be more
delightful ; but yet, if you will give me leave to speak my mind
freely, I will take the liberty to tell you that this house would be
incomparable if it had three things which are wanting to complete

[ 14 ]

THE TALKING BIRD

it." "My good mother," replied the Princess Periezade, "what
are those? I entreat you to tell me what they are; I will spare
nothing to get them."

"Madam," replied the devout woman, "the first of these three
things is the Talking Bird, so singular a creature, that it draws
round it all the songsters of the neighbourhood which come
to accompany its voice. The second is the Singing Tree, the
leaves of which are so many mouths which form an harmonious
concert of different voices and never cease. The third is the
Golden Water, a single drop of which being poured into a vessel
properly prepared, it increases so as to fill it immediately, and
rises up in the middle like a fountain, which continually plays,
and yet the basin never overflows."

"Ah! my good mother," cried the princess, "how much am
I obliged to you for the knowledge of these curiosities! I never
before heard there were such rarities in the world; but as I am
persuaded that you know, I expect that you should do me the
favour to inform me where they are to be found."

"Madam," replied the good woman, "I should be unworthy
the hospitality you have shown me if I should refuse to satisfy
your curiosity on that point, and am glad to have the honour to
tell you that these curiosities are all to be met with in the same
spot on the confines of this kingdom, toward India. The road
lies before your house, and whoever you send needs but foUow
it for twenty days, and on the twentieth only let him ask the first
person he meets where the Talking Bird, the Singing Tree, and
the Golden Water are, and he will be informed." After saying
this, she rose from her seat, took her leave, and went her way.

The Princess Periezade's thoughts were so taken up with the
Talking Bird, Singing Tree, and Golden Water, that she never
perceived the devout woman's departure, till she wanted to ask

[ 15 ]

THE ARABIAN NIGHTS

her some question for her better information ; for she thought that
what she had been told was not a sufficient reason for exposing
herself by undertaking a long journey. However, she would not
send after her visitor, but endeavoured to remember all the direc-
tions, and when she thought she had recollected every word, took
real pleasure in thinking of the satisfaction she should have if she
could get these curiosities into her possession ; but the difficulties
she apprehended and the fear of not succeeding made her very
uneasy.

She was absorbed in these thoughts when her brothers re-
turned from hunting, who, when they entered the great hall,
instead of finding her lively and gay, as she was wont to be, were
amazed to see her so pensive and hanging down her head as if
something troubled her.

"Sister," said Prince Bahman, *'what is become of all your
mirth and gaiety ? Are you not well .'' or has some misfortune
befallen you ? Tell us, that we may know how to act, and give
you some relief. If any one has affronted you, we will resent his
insolence."

The princess remained in the same posture some time without
answering, but at last lifted up her eyes to look at her brothers,
and then held them down again, telling them nothing disturbed her.

"Sister," said Prince Bahman, "you conceal the truth from
us; there must be something of consequence. It is impossible
we could observe so sudden a change if nothing was the matter
with you. You would not have us satisfied with the evasive
answer you have given; do not conceal anything, unless you
would have us suspect that you renounce the strict union which
has hitherto subsisted between us."

The princess, who had not the smallest intention to oifend her
brothers, would not suffer them to entertain such a thought, but

[ 16 ]

THE TALKING BIRD

said: "When I told you nothing disturbed me, I meant nothing
that was of importance to you, but to me it is of some conse-
quence; and since you press me to tell you by our strict union and
friendship, which are so dear to me, I will. You think, and I
always beheved so too, that this house was so complete tliat
nothing was wanting. But this day I have learned that it lacks
three rarities which would render it so perfect that no country
seat in the world could be compared with it. These three things
are the Talking Bird, the Singing Tree, and the Golden Water."
After she had informed them wherein consisted the excellency of
these rarities, "A devout woman," added she, "has made this
discovery to me, told me the place where they are to be found,
and the way thither. Perhaps you may imagine these things of
little consequence; that without these additions our house will
always be thought sufficiently elegant, and that we can do with-
out them. You may think as you please, but I cannot help tell-
ing you that I am persuaded they are absolutely necessary, and
I shall not be easy without them. Therefore, whether you
value them or not, I desire you to consider what person you may
think proper for me to send in search of the curiosities I have
mentioned."

"Sister," rephed Prince Bahman, "nothing can concern you
in which we have not an equal interest. It is enough that you
desire these things to oblige us to take the same interest; but if
you had not, we feel ourselves inclined of our own accord and
for our own individual satisfaction. I am persuaded my brother
is of the same opinion, and therefore we ought to undertake this
conquest, for the importance and singularity of the under-
taking deserve that name. I will take the charge upon myself;
only tell me the place and the way to it, and I will defer my
journey no longer than till to-morrow."

[ 17 ]

THE ARABIAN NIGHTS

** Brother," said Prince Perviz, "it is not proper that you, who
are the head of our family, should be absent. I desire my sister
should join with me to oblige you to abandon your design, and
allow me to undertake it. I hope to acquit myself as well as
you, and it will be a more regular proceeding." " I am persuaded
of your goodwill, brother," replied Prince Bahman, "and that
you would succeed as well as myself in this journey; but I have
resolved and will undertake it. You shall stay at home with our
sister, and I need not recommend her to you."

The next morning Bahman mounted his horse, and Perviz
and the princess embraced and wished him a good journey.
But in the midst of their adieus, the princess recollected what she
had not thought of before. "Brother," said she, "I had quite
forgotten the accidents which attend travellers. Who knows
whether I shall ever see you again ? Alight, I beseech you, and
give up this journey. I would rather be deprived of the sight and
possession of the Talking Bird, the Singing Tree, and the Golden
Water, than run the risk of never seeing you more."

"Sister," replied Bahman, smiling at her sudden fears, "my
resolution is fixed. The accidents you speak of befall only those
who are unfortunate; but there are more who are not so. How-
ever, as events are uncertain, and I may fail in this undertaking,
all I can do is to leave you this knife."

Bahman pulling a knife from his vestband, and presenting
it to the princess in the sheath, said: "Take this knife, sister, and
give yourself the trouble sometimes to pull it out of the sheath;
while you see it clean as it is now, it will be a sign that I am alive;
but if you find it stained with blood, then you may believe me
dead and indulge me with your prayers."

The princess could obtain nothing more of Bahman. He
bade adieu to her and Prince Perviz for the last time. and rode

[ 18 ]

THE TALKING BIRD

away. When he got into the road, he never turned to the right
hand nor to the left, but went directly forward toward India.
The twentieth day he perceived on the roadside a hideous old
man, who sat under a tree near a thatched house, which was his
retreat from the weather.

His eyebrows were as white as snow, as was also the hair of
his head; his whiskers covered his mouth, and his beard and
hair reached down to his feet. The nails of his hands and
feet were grown to an extensive length, while a flat, broad um-
brella covered his head. He had no clothes, but only a mat
thrown round his body. This old man was a dervish for so
many years retired from the world to give himself up entirely to
the service of God that at last he had become what we have
described.

Prince Bahman, who had been all that morning very attentive,
to see if he could meet with anybody who could give him informa-
tion of the place he was in search of, stopped when he came near
the dervish, alighted, in conformity to the directions which the
devout w Oman had given the Princess Periezade, and leading his
horse by the bridle, advanced toward him and saluting him,
said: "God prolong your days, good father, and grant you the
accomplishment of your desires."

The dervish returned the prince's salutation, but so unintelli-
gibly that he could not understand one word he said and Prince
Bahman, perceiving that this difficulty proceeded from the der-
vish's whiskers hanging over his mouth, and unwilling to go any
further without the instructions he wanted, pulled out a pair of
scissors he had about him, and having tied his horse to a branch
of the tree, said: "Good dervish, I want to have some talk with
you, but your whiskers prevent my understanding what you say;
and if you will consent, I will cut off some part of them and of

[ 19 ]

THE ARABIAN NIGHTS

your eyebrows, which disfigure you so much that you look more
Hke a bear than a man."

The dervish did not oppose the offer, and when the prince
had cut off as much hair as he thought fit, he perceived that the
dervish had a good complexion, and that he was not as old as he
seemed. "Good dervish," said he, "if I had a glass I would
show you how young you look: you are now a man, but before,
nobody could tell what you were."

The kind behaviour of Prince Bahman made the dervish
smile and return his compliment. "Sir," said he, "whoever you
are, I am obliged by the good office you have performed, and am
ready to show my gratitude by doing anything in my power for
you. You must have alighted here upon some account or other.
Tell me what it is, and I will endeavour to serve you."

"Good dervish," replied Prince Bahman, "I am in search
of the Talking Bird, the Singing Tree, and the Golden Water;
I know these three rarities are not far from hence, but cannot tell
exactly the place where they are to be found; if you know, I
conjure you to show me the way, that I may not lose my labour
after so long a journey."

The prince, while he spoke, observed that the dervish changed
countenance, held down his eyes, looked very serious, and re-
mained silent, which obliged him to say to him again: "Good
father, tell me whether you know^ what I ask you, that I may not
lose my time, but inform myself somewhere else."

At last the dervish broke silence. "Sir," said he to Prince
Bahman, "I know the way you ask of me; but the regard which
I conceived for you the first moment I saw you, and which is
grown stronger by the service you have done me, kept me in
suspense as to whether I should give you the satisfaction you de-
sire." "What motive can hinder you ?" replied the prince; "and

[ 20 ]

THE TALKING BIRD

what difficulties do you find in so doing?" **I will tell you," re-
plied the dervish; "the danger to which you are going to expose
yourself is greater than you may suppose. A number of gentle-
men of as much bravery as you can possibly possess have passed
this way, and asked me the same question. When I had used all
my endeavours to persuade them to desist, they would not believe
me; at last I yielded to their importunities; I was compelled to
show them the way, and I can assure you they have all perished,
for I have not seen one come back. Therefore, if you have any
regard for your life, take my advice, go no farther, but return
home."

Prince Bahman persisted in his resolution. *'I will not sup-
pose," said he to the dervish, "but that your advice is sincere.
I am obliged to you for the friendship you express for me; but
whatever may be the danger, nothing shall make me change my
intention : whoever attacks me, I am well armed, and can say I
am as brave as any one." "But they who will attack you are
not to be seen," replied the dervish; "how will you defend
yourself against invisible persons ? " " It is no matter," answered
the prince, "all you say shall not persuade me to do anything
contrary to my duty. Since you know the way, I conjure you
once more to inform me."

When the dervish found he could not prevail upon Prince
Bahman, and that he was obstinately bent to pursue his journey,
notwithstanding his friendly remonstrance, he put his hand into
a bag that lay by him and pulled out a bowl, which he presented
to him. "Since I cannot prevail on you to attend to my advice,"
said he, "take this bowl and when you are on horseback throw it
before you, and follow it to the foot of a mountain, where it will
stop. As soon as the bowl stops, alight, leave your horse with
the bridle over his neck, and he will stand in the same place till

[21]

THE ARABIAN NIGHTS

you return. As you ascend you will see on your right and left a
great number of large black stones, and will hear on all sides a con-
fusion of voices, which will utter a thousand abuses to discourage
you, and prevent your reaching the summit of the mountain.
Be not afraid; but, above all things, do not turn your head to
look behind you, for in that instant you will be changed into such
a black stone as those you see, which are all youths who have
failed in this enterprise. If you escape the danger of which I
give you but a faint idea, and get to the top of the mountain, you
will see a cage, and in that cage is the bird you seek; ask him
which are the Singing Tree and the Golden Water, and he will
tell you. I have nothing more to say; this is what you have to
do, and if you are prudent you will take my advice and not
expose your life. Consider once more while you have time that
the diflSculties are almost insuperable."

**I am obliged to you for your advice," replied Prince Bah-
man, after he had received the bowl, "but cannot follow it. How-
ever, I will endeavour to conform myself to that part of it which
bids me not to look behind me, and I hope to come and thank you
when I have obtained what I am seeking." After these words, to
which the dervish made no other answer than that he should be
overjoyed to see him again, the prince mounted his horse, took
leave of the dervish with a respectful salute, and threw the bowl
before him.

The bowl rolled away with as much swiftness as when Prince
Bahman first hurled it from his hand, which obliged him to put
his horse to the same pace to avoid losing sight of it, and when
it had reached the foot of the mountain it stopped. The prince
alighted from his horse, laid the bridle on his neck, and having
first surveyed the mountain and seen the black stones, began
to ascend, but had not gone four steps before he heard the

[ 22 ]

THE TALKING BIRD

voices mentioned by the dervish, though he could see nobody.
Some said: "Where is that fool going ? Where is he going ? What
would he have? Do not let him pass." Others: "Stop him,
catch him, kill him"; and others with a voice like thunder:
"Thief! assassin! murderer!" while some in a gibing tone cried:
"No, no, do not hurt him; let the pretty fellow pass, the cage and
bird are kept for him."

Notwithstanding all these troublesome voices, Prince Bah-
man ascended with resolution for some time, but the voices re-
doubled with so loud a din, both behind and before, that at last
he was seized with dread, his legs trembled under him, he stag-
gered, and finding that his strength failed him, he forgot the
dervish's advice, turned about to run down the hill, and was
that instant changed into a black stone; a metamorphosis which
had happened to many before him who had attempted the ascent.
His horse, likewise, underwent the same change.

From the time of Prince Bahman's departure, the Princess
Periezade always wore the knife and sheath in her girdle, and
pulled it out several times in a day, to know whether her brother
was alive. She had the consolation to understand he was in
perfect health and to talk of him frequently with Prince Perviz.
On the fatal day that Prince Bahman was transformed into a
stone, as Prince Perviz and the princess were talking together
in the evening, as usual, the prince desired his sister to pull out
the knife to know how their brother did. The princess readily
complied, and seeing the blood run down the point was seized
with so much horror that she threw it down. "Ah! my dear
brother," cried she, "I have been the cause of your death, and
shall never see you more! Why did I tell you of the Talking
Bird, Singing Tree, and Golden Water; or rather, of what im-
portance was it to me to know whether the devout woman

[ 23 ]

THE ARABIAN NIGHTS

thought this house ugly or handsome, or complete or not? I
wish to Heaven she had never addressed herself to me!"

Prince Perviz was as much afflicted at the death of Prince
Bahman as the princess, but not to w^aste time in needless regret,
as he knew that she still passionately desired possession of the
marvellous treasures, he interrupted her, saying: "Sister, our
regret for our brother is vain; our lamentations cannot restore
him to life ; it is the will of God ; we must submit and adore the
decrees of the Almighty without searching into them. Why
should you now doubt of the truth of what the holy woman told
you ? Do you think she spoke to you of three things that were not
in being, and that she invented them to deceive you who had
received her with so much goodness and civility ? Let us rather
believe that our brother's death is owing to some error on his part,
or some accident which we cannot conceive. It ought not there-
fore to prevent us from pursuing our object. I offered to go this
journey, and am now more resolved than ever; his example has
no effect upon my resolution; to-morrow I will depart."

The princess did all she could to dissuade Prince Perviz,
conjuring him not to expose her to the danger of losing two
brothers; but he was obstinate, and all the remonstrances she
could urge had no effect upon him. Before he went, that she
might know what success he had, he left her a string of a hundred
pearls, telling her that if they would not run when she should
count them upon the string, but remain fixed, that would be a
certain sign he had undergone the same fate as his brother; but
at the same time told her he hoped it would never happen, but
that he should have the delight of seeing her again.

Prince Perviz, on the twentieth day after his departure, met
the same dervish in the same place as his brother Bahman had
done before him. He w^ent directly up to him, and after he had

[ 24 ]

THE TALKING BIRD

saluted, asked him if he could tell him where to find the Talking
Bird, the Singing Tree, and the Golden Water. The dervish
urged the same remonstrances as he had done to Prince Bahman,
telling him that a young gentleman, who very much resembled
him, was with him a short time before; that, overcome by his
importunity, he had shown him the way, given him a guide, and
told him how he should act to succeed, but that he had not seen
him since, and doubted not but he had shared the same fate as
all other adventurers.

"Good dervish," answered Prince Perviz, "I know whom you
speak of; he was my elder brother, and I am informed of the
certainty of his death, but know not the cause." "I can tell you,"
replied the dervish; "he was changed into a black stone, as all I
speak of have been; and you must expect the same transforma-
tion, unless you observe more exactly than he has done the ad-
vice I gave him, in case you persist in your resolution, which I
once more entreat you to renounce."

"Dervish," said Prince Perviz, "I cannot sufficiently express
how much I am obliged for the concern you take in my life, who
am a stranger to you, and have done nothing to deserve your
kindness; but I thoroughly considered this enterprise before I
undertook it; therefore I beg of you to do me the same favour
you have done my brother. Perhaps I may have better success
in following your directions." "Since I cannot prevail with you,"
said the dervish, "to give up your obstinate resolution, if my age
did not prevent me, and I could stand, I would get up to reach you
a bowl I have here, which will show you the way."

Without giving the dervish time to say more, the prince
alighted from his horse and went to the dervish, who had taken
a bowl out of his bag, in which he had a great many, and gave it
him, with the same directions he had given Prince Bahman; and

[05]

THE ARABIAN NIGHTS

after warning him not to be discouraged by the voices he should
hear, however threatening they might be, but to continue his way
up the hill till he saw the cage and bird, he let him depart.

Prince Perviz thanked the dervish, and when he had re-
mounted and taken leave, threw the bowl before his horse, and
spurring him at the same time, followed it. When the bowl
came to the bottom of the hill it stopped, the prince alighted,
and stood some time to recollect the dervish's directions. He
encouraged himself, and began to walk up with a resolution
to reach the summit; but before he had gone above six steps,
he heard a voice, which seemed to be near, as of a man behind
him, say in an insulting tone: "Stay, rash youth, that I may
punish you for your presumption."

Upon this affront the prince, forgetting the dervish's advice,
clapped his hand upon his sword, drew it, and turned about to
revenge himself; but had scarcely time to see that nobody fol-
lowed him before he and his horse were changed into black
stones.

In the meantime the Princess Periezade, several times a day
after her brother's departure, counted her chaplet. She did not
omit it at night, but when she went to bed put it about her neck,
and in the morning when she awoke counted over the pearls
again to see if they would slide.

The day that Prince Perviz was transformed into a stone she
was counting over the pearls as she used to do, when all at once
they became immovably fixed, a certain token that the prince,
her brother, was dead. As she had determined what to do in case
it should so happen, she lost no time in outward demonstrations
of grief, which she concealed as much as possible, but having
disguised herself in man's apparel, she mounted her horse the
next morning, armed and equipped, having told her servants she

[ 26 ]

THE TALKING BIRD

should return in two or three days, and took the same road that
her brothers had done.

The princess, who had been used to ride on horseback in
hunting, supported the fatigue of so long a journey better than
most ladies could have done; and as she made the same stages as
her brothers, she also met with the dervish on the twentieth day.
When she came near him, she alighted from her horse, leading
him by the bridle, went and sat down by the dervish, and after
she had saluted him, said: "Good dervish, give me leave to rest
myself; and do me the favour to tell me if you have not heard
that there are somewhere in this neighbourhood a Talking Bird,
a Singing Tree, and Golden Water.

"Princess," answered the dervish, "for so I must call you,
since by your voice I know you to be a woman disguised in man's
apparel, I know the place well where these things are to be
found; but what makes you ask me this question .?"

"Good dervish," replied the princess, "I have had such a
flattering relation of them given me, that I have a great desire to
possess them." "Madam," replied the dervish, "you have been
told the truth. These curiosities are more singular than they
have been represented, but you have not been made acquainted
with the difficulties which must be surmounted in order to obtain
them. If you had been fully informed of these, you would not
have undertaken so dangerous an enterprise. Take my advice,
return, and do not urge me to contribute toward your ruin."

"Good father," said the princess, "I have travelled a great
way, and should be sorry to return without executing my design.
You talk of difficulties and danger of life, but you do not tell
me what those difficulties are, and wherein the danger consists.
This is what I desire to know, that I may consider and judge
whether I can trust my courage and strength to brave them."

[ 27 ]

THE ARABIAN NIGHTS

The dervish repeated to the princess what he had said to
the Princes Bahman and Perviz, exaggerating the difficulties of
chmbing up to the top of the mountain, where she w^as to make
herself mistress of the Bird, which would inform her of the Sing-
ing Tree and Golden Water. He magnified the din of the terrible
threatening voices which she would hear on all sides of her, and
the great number of black stones alone sufficient to strike terror.
He entreated her to reflect that those stones were so many brave
gentlemen, so metamorphosed for having omitted to observe the
principal condition of success in the perilous undertaking, which
was not to look behind them before they had got possession of the
cage.

When the dervish had done, the princess replied: *'By what
1 comprehend from your discourse, the difficulties of succeeding
in this affair are, first, the getting up to the cage without being
frightened at the terrible din of voices I shall hear; and, secondly,
not to look behind me. For this last, I hope I shall be mistress
enough of myself to observe it; as to the first, I own that
voices, such as you represent them to be, are capable of striking
terror into the most undaunted; but as in all enterprises and
dangers every one may use stratagem, I desire to know of you if
I may use any in one of so great importance." "And w^hat
stratagem is it you would employ ?" said the dervish. "To stop
my ears with cotton," answered the princess, "that the voices,
however terrible, may make the less impression upon my imagi-
nation, and my mind remain free from that disturbance which
might cause me to lose the use of my reason."

"Princess," replied the dervish, "of all the persons who have
addressed themselves to me for information, I do not know that
ever one made use of the contrivance you propose. All I know
is that they all perished. If you persist in your design, you may

[ 28 ]

THE TALKING BIRD

make the experiment. You will be fortunate if it succeeds, but
I would advise you not to expose yourself to the danger."

"My good father," repHed the princess, "I am sure my pre-
caution will succeed, and am resolved to try the experiment.
Nothing remains for me but to know which way I must go, and I
conjure you not to deny me that information." The dervish
exhorted her again to consider well what she was going to do;
but finding her resolute, he took out a bowl, and presenting it to
her, said: "Take this bowl, mount your horse again, and when
you have thrown it before you, follow it through all its wind-
ings, till it stops at the bottom of the mountain; there alight
and ascend the hill. Go, you know the rest."

After the princess had thanked the dervish, and taken her
leave of him, she mounted her horse, threw the bowl before her,
and followed it till it stopped at the foot of the mountain.

She then alighted, stopped her ears with cotton, and after she
had well examined the path leading to the summit began with a
moderate pace and walked up with intrepidity. She heard the
voices and perceived the great service the cotton was to her.
The higher she went, the louder and more numerous the voices
seemed, but they were not capable of making any impression
upon her. She heard a great many affronting speeches and rail-
lery very disagreeable to a woman, which she only laughed at.
"I mind not," said she to herself, "all that can be said, were it
worse; I only laugh at them and shall pursue my way." At last,
she climbed so high that she could perceive the cage and the Bird
which endeavoured, in company with the voices, to frighten her,
crying in a thundering tone, notwithstanding the smallness of its
size: "Retire, fool, and approach no nearer."

The princess, encouraged by this sight, redoubled her speed,
and by effort gained the summit of the mountain, where the

[ 29 ]

THE ARABIAN NIGHTS

ground was level ; then running directly to the cage and clapping
her hand upon it, cried: "Bird, I have you, and you shall not
escape me."

While Periezade was pulling the cotton out of her ears the
Bird said to her: "Heroic princess, be not angry wuth me for
joining with those who exerted themselves to preserve my liberty.
Though in a cage, I was content with my condition ; but since I
am destined to be a slave, I would rather be yours than any other
person's, since you have obtained me so courageously. From
this instant, I swear entire submission to all your commands.
I know who you are. You do not ; but the time will come when
I shall do you essential service, for which I hope you will think
yourself obliged to me. As a proof of my sincerity, tell me what
you desire and I am ready to obey you."

The princess's joy was the more inexpressible, because the
conquest she had made had cost her the lives of two beloved
brothers, and given her more trouble and danger than she could
have imagined. "Bird," said she, "it was my intention to have
told you that I wish for many things w^hich are of importance,
but I am overjoyed that you have shown your goodwill and
prevented me. I have been told that there is not far off a Golden
Water, the property of which is very wonderful; before all things,
I ask you to tell me where it is." The Bird showed her the place,
which was just by, and she went and filled a little silver flagon
which she had brought with her. She returned at once and said :
"Bird, this is not enough; I want also the Singing Tree; tell me
where it is." "Turn about," said the Bird, "and you will see
behind you a wood where you will find the tree." The princess
went into the wood, and by the harmonious concert she heard,
soon knew the tree among many others, but it was very large and
high. She came back again and said: "Bird, I have found the

[ 30 ]

THE TALKING BIRD

Singing Tree, but I can neither pull it up by the roots nor carry
it." The Bird replied: "It is not necessary that you should take
it up; it will be sufficient to break off a branch and carry it to
plant in your garden ; it will take root as soon as it is put into the
earth, and in a little time will grow to as fine a tree as that you
have seen."

When the princess had obtained possession of the three things
for which she had conceived so great a desire, she said again:
" Bird, what you have yet done for me is not sufficient. You have
been the cause of the death of my two brothers, who must be
among the black stones I saw as I ascended the mountain. I
wish to take the princes home with me."

The Bird seemed reluctant to satisfy the princess in this point,
and indeed made some difficulty to comply. "Bird," said the
princess, ''remember you told me that you were my slave. You
are so; and your life is in my disposal." "That I cannot deny,"
answered the bird; " but although what you now ask is more diffi-
cult than all the rest, yet I will do it for you. Cast your eyes
around," added he, "and look if you can see a little pitcher."
"I see it already," said the princess. "Take it then," said he,
"and as you descend the mountain, sprinkle a little of the water
that is in it upon every black stone."

The princess took up the pitcher accordingly, carried with
her the cage and Bird, the flagon of Golden Water, and the
branch of the Singing Tree, and as she descended the mountain,
threw a little of the water on every black stone, which was changed
immediately into a man; and as she did not miss one stone, all
the horses, both of her brothers and of the other gentlemen, re-
sumed their natural forms also. She instantly recognised Bah-
man and Perviz, as they did her, and ran to embrace her. She
returned their embraces and expressed her amazement. "What

[ 31 ]

THE ARABIAN NIGHTS

do you here, my dear brothers?" said she, and they told her
they had been asleep. "Yes," repHed she, "and if it had not been
for me, perhaps you might have slept till the day of judgment.
Do not you remember that you came to fetch the Talking Bird,
the Singing Tree, and the Golden Water, and did not you see,
as you came along, the place covered with black stones ? Look
and see if there be any now. The gentlemen and their horses
who surround us, and you yourselves, were these black stones.
If you desire to know how this wonder was performed," continued
she, showing the pitcher, which she set down at the foot of the
mountain, "it was done by virtue of the water which was in this
pitcher, with which I sprinkled every stone. After I had made
the Talking Bird (which you see in this cage) my slave, by his
directions I found out the Singing Tree, a branch of which I
have now in my hand; and the Golden Water, with which this
flagon is filled ; but being still unwilling to return without taking
you with me, I constrained the Bird, by the power I had over him,
to afford me the means. He told me where to find this pitcher,
and the use I was to make of it."

The Princes Bahman and Perviz learned by this relation the
obligation they had to their sister, as did all the other gentlemen,
who expressed to her that, far from envying her happiness in the
conquest she had made, and which they all had aspired to, they
thought they could not better express their gratitude for restoring
them to life again, than by declaring themselves her slaves,
and that they were ready to obey her in whatever she should
command.

"Gentlemen," repHed the princess, ''if you had given any at-
tention to my words, you might have observed that I had no
other intention in what I have done than to recover my brothers ;
therefore, if you have received any benefit, you owe me no obliga-

[ 32 ]

It will he sufficient to break off a hrandl and carry it to plard
in your garde?i.

THE TALKING BIRD

tion, and I have no further share in your compHment than your
poHteness toward me, for which I return you my thanks. In
other respects, I regard each of you as quite as free as you
were before your misfortunes, and I rejoice with you at the
happiness which has accrued to you by my means. Let us,
however, stay no longer in a place where we have nothing to
detain us, but mount our horses and return to our respective
homes."

The princess took her horse, which stood in the place where
she had left him. Before she mounted. Prince Bahman desired
her to give him the cage to carry. "Brother," replied the prin-
cess, "the Bird is my slave and I will carry him myself; if you
will take the pains to carry the branch of the Singing Tree, there
it is; only hold the cage while I get on horseback." When she
had mounted her horse, and Prince Bahman had given her the
cage, she turned about and said to Prince Perviz: "I leave the
flagon of Golden Water to your care, if it will not be too much
trouble for you to carry it," and Prince Perviz accordingly took
charge of it with pleasure.

When Bahman, Perviz, and all the gentlemen had mounted
their horses, the princess waited for some of them to lead the way.
The two princes paid that compliment to the gentlemen, and they
again to the princess, who, finding that none of them would accept
the honour, but that it was reserved for her, addressed herself
to them and said: "Gentlemen, I expect that some of you should
lead the way"; to which one who was nearest to her, in the name
of the rest, replied : " Madam, were we ignorant of the respect due
to your sex, yet after what you have done for us there is no defer-
ence we would not willingly pay you, notwithstanding your mod-
esty; we entreat you no longer to deprive us of the happiness of
following you."

[ 33 ]

THE ARABIAN NIGHTS

"Gentlemen," said the princess, "I do not deserve the honour
you do me, and accept it only because you desire it." At the
same time she led the way, and the two princes and the gentlemen
followed.

This illustrious company called upon the dervish as they
passed, to thank him for his reception and wholesome advice,
which they had all found to be sincere. He was dead, however;
whether of old age, or because he was no longer necessary to show
the way to obtaining the three rarities, did not appear. They
pursued their route, but lessened in their numbers every day.
The gentlemen who, as we said before, had come from different
countries, after severally repeating their obligations to the princess
and her brothers, took leave of them one after another as they
approached the road by which they had come.

As soon as the princess reached home, she placed the cage in
the garden, and the Bird no sooner began to warble than he was
surrounded by nightingales, chaffinches, larks, linnets, gold-
finches, and every species of birds of the country. The branch of
the Singing Tree was no sooner set in the midst of the parterre,
a little distance from the house, than it took root and in a short
time became a large tree, the leaves of which gave as harmonious
a concert as those of the parent from which it was gathered. A
large basin of beautiful marble was placed in the garden, and
when it was finished, the princess poured into it all the Golden
Water from the flagon, which instantly increased and sw^elled so
much that it soon reached up to the edges of the basin, and after-
ward formed in the middle a fountain twenty feet high, which
fell again into the basin perpetually, without running over.

The report of these wonders was presently spread abroad, and
as the gates of the house and those of the gardens were shut to
nobody, a great number of people came to admire them.

[ 34 ]

THE TALKING BIRD

Some days after, when the Princes Bahman and Perviz had
recovered from the fatigue of their journey, they resumed their
former way of Hving; and as their usual diversion was hunting,
they mounted their horses and went for the first time since their
return, not to their own demesne, but two or three leagues from
their house. As they pursued their sport, the emperor of Persia
came in pursuit of game upon the same ground. When they
perceived, by the number of horsemen in different places, that he
would soon be up, they resolved to discontinue their chase, and
retire to avoid encountering him ; but in the very road they took
they chanced to meet him in so narrow a way that they could not
retreat without being seen. In their surprise they had only time
to alight and prostrate themselves before the emperor, without
lifting up their heads to look at him. The emperor, who saw
they were as well mounted and dressed as if they had belonged to
his court, had a curiosity to see their faces. He stopped and
commanded them to rise. The princes rose up and stood before
him with an easy and graceful air, accompanied with modest
countenances. The emperor took some time to view them before
he spoke, and after he had admired their good air and mien,
asked them who they were and where they lived.

"Sir," said Prince Bahman, "we are the sons of the late
intendant of your majesty's gardens, and live in a house which
he built a httle before he died, till we should be fit to serve
your majesty and ask of you some employ when opportunity
offered."

"By what I perceive," replied the emperor, "you love. hunt-
ing." "Sir," replied Prince Bahman, " it is our common exercise,
and what none of your majesty's subjects who intend to bear arms
in your armies, ought, according to the ancient custom of the
kingdom, to neglect." The emperor, charmed with so prudent

[ 35 ]

THE ARABIAN NIGHTS

an answer, said : " Since it is so, I should be glad to see your expert-
ness in the chase; choose your own game."

The princes mounted their horses again and followed the
emperor, but had not gone far before they saw many wild beasts
together. Prince Bahman chose a lion and Prince Perviz a
bear, and pursued them with so much intrepidity that the em-
peror was surprised. They came up with their game nearly at
the same time, and darted their javelins with so much skill and
address that they pierced the one the lion and the other the bear
so effectually that the emperor saw them fall one after the other.
Immediately afterward Prince Bahman pursued another bear,
and Prince Perviz another lion, and killed them in a short time,
and would have beaten out for fresh game, but the emperor
w^ould not let them, and sent to them to come to him. When
they approached he said: "If I had given you leave, you would
soon have destroyed all my game; but it is not that which I
would preserve, but your persons ; for I am so well assured your
bravery may one time or other be serviceable to me, that from
this moment your lives will be always dear to me."

The emperor, in short, conceived so great a kindness for the
two princes, that he invited them immediately to make him a
visit, to which Prince Bahman replied: "Your majesty does us
an honour we do not deserve, and we beg you will excuse us.'^

The emperor, who could not comprehend what reason the
princes could have to refuse this token of his favour, pressed them
to tell him why they excused themselves. "Sir," said Prince
Bahman, "we have a sister younger than ourselves, with whom
we live in such perfect union, that we undertake nothing before
we consult her, nor she anything without asking our advice.'*
"I commend your brotherly affection," answered the emperor.
" Consult your sister, meet me to-morrow, and give me an answer."

[ 36 ]

THE TALKING BIRD

The princes went home, but neglected to speak of their ad-
venture in meeting the emperor and hunting with him, and also
of the honour he had done them, yet did not the next morning
fail to meet him at the place appointed. "Well," said the
emperor, "have you spoken to your sister, and has she con-
sented to the pleasure I expect of seeing you ?" The two princes
looked at each other and blushed. "Sir," said Prince Bahman,
"we beg your majesty to excuse us, for both my brother and I
forgot." "Then remember to-day," replied the emperor, "and
be sure to bring me an answer to-morrow."

The princes were guilty of the same fault a second time, and
the emperor was so good-natured as to forgive their negligence;
but to prevent their forgetfulness the third time, he pulled three
little golden balls out of a purse, and put them into Prince
Bahman's bosom. "These balls," said he, smiling, "will prevent
your forgetting a third time what I wish you to do for my sake;
since the noise they will make by falling on the floor when you
undress will remind you, if you do not recollect it before." The
event happened just as the emperor foresaw; and without these
balls the princes had not thought of speaking to their sister of this
affair, for as Prince Bahman unloosed his girdle to go to bed the
balls dropped on the floor, upon which he ran into Prince Perviz's
chamber, when both went into the Princess Periezade's apart-
ment, and after they had asked her pardon for coming at so un-
seasonable a time, they told her all the circumstances of their
meeting the emperor.

The princess was somewhat surprised at this intelligence.
"Your meeting with the emperor," said she, "is happy and
honourable and may in the end be highly advantageous to you,
but it places me in an awkward position. It was on my account,
I know, you refused the emperor, and I am infinitely obliged

[ 37 ]

THE ARABIAN NIGHTS

to you for doing so. I know by this that you would rather
be guilty of incivility toward the emperor than violate the
union we have sworn to each other. You judge right, for if
you had once gone you would insensibly have been engaged to
devote yourselves to him. But do you think it an easy matter
absolutely to refuse the emperor what he seems so earnestly to
desire ? Monarchs will be obeyed in their desires, and it may
be dangerous to oppose them ; therefore, if to follow my inclina-
tion I should dissuade you from obeying him, it may expose you
to his resentment, and may render myself and you miserable.
These are my sentiments ; but before we conclude upon anything
let us consult the Talking Bird and hear what he says; he is
penetrating, and has promised his assistance in all difficulties."

The princess sent for the cage, and after she had related the
circumstances to the Bird in the presence of her brothers, asked
him what they should do in this perplexity. The Bird answered:
*'The princes, your brothers, must conform to the emperor's
pleasure, and in their turn invite him to come and see your house."

"But, Bird," replied the princess, '*my brothers and I love
one another, and our friendship is yet undisturbed. Will not
this step be injurious to that friendship .?" "Not at all," replied
the Bird; "it will tend rather to cement it." "Then," answered
the princess, "the emperor will see me." The Bird told her it was
necessary he should, and that everything would go better after-
ward.

Next morning the princes met the emperor hunting, who
asked them if they had remembered to speak to their sister.
Prince Bahman approached and answered: "Sir, we are ready
to obey you, for we have not only obtained our sister's consent
with great ease, but she took it amiss that we should pay her that
deference in a matter wherein our duty to your majesty was

[ 38 ]

THE TALKING BIRD

concerned. If we have offended, we hope you will pardon us."
"Do not be uneasy," replied the emperor. "I highly approve
of your conduct, and hope you will have the same deference and
attachment to my person, if I have ever so little share in your
friendship." The princes, confounded at the emperor's good-
ness, returned no other answer but a low obeisance.

The emperor, contrary to his usual custom, did not hunt long
that day. Presuming that the princes possessed wit equal to
their courage and bravery, he longed with impatience to converse
with them more at liberty. He made them ride on each side
of him, an honour which was envied by the grand vizier, who
was much mortified to see them preferred before him.

When the emperor entered his capital, the eyes of the people,
w^ho stood in crowds in the streets, were fixed upon the two
Princes Bahman and Perviz; and they were earnest to know
who they might be.

All, however, agreed in wishing that the emperor had been
blessed with two such handsome princes, and said that his
children would have been about the same age, if the queen had
not been so unfortunate as to lose them.

The first thing the emperor did when he arrived at his palace
was to conduct the princes into the principal apartments, who
praised without affectation the beauty and symmetry of the
rooms, and the richness of the furniture and ornaments. After-
ward a magnificent repast was served up, and the emperor
made them sit with him, which they at first refused; but finding
it w^as his pleasure, they obeyed.

The emperor, who had himself much learning, particularly
in history, foresaw that the princes, out of modesty and respect,
would not take the hberty of beginning any conversation. There-
fore, to give them an opportunity, he furnished them with sub-

[ 39 ]

THE ARABIAN NIGHTS

jects all dinner-time. But whatever subject he introduced, they
shewed so much wit, judgment, and discernment, that he was
struck with admiration. "Were these my own children," said
he to himself, "and I had improved their talents by suitable
education, they could not have been more accomplished or
better informed." In short, he took such great pleasure in their
conversation, that, after having sat longer than usual, he led them
into his closet, where he pursued his conversation with them, and
at last said: "I never supposed that there were among my sub-
jects in the country youths so well brought up, so lively, so capa-
ble; and I never was better pleased with any conversation than
yours; but it is time now we should relax our minds with some
diversion ; and as nothing is more capable of enlivening the mind
than music, you shall hear a vocal and instrumental concert
which may not be disagreeable to you."

The emperor had no sooner spoken than the musicians, who
had orders to attend, entered, and answered fully the expecta-
tions the princes had been led to entertain of their abilities.
After the concerts, an excellent farce was acted, and the entertain-
ment was concluded by dancers of both sexes.

The two princes, seeing night approach, prostrated themselves
at the emperor's feet; and having first thanked him for the
favours and honours he had heaped upon them, asked his per-
mission to retire; which was granted by the emperor, who, in
dismissing them, said: "I give you leave to go; but remember,
you will be always welcome, and the oftener you come the greater
pleasure you will do me."

Before they went out of the emperor's presence, Prince
Bahman said: "Sir, may we presume to request that your majesty
will do us and our sister the honour to pass by our house, and
refresh yourself after your fatigue, the first time you take the

[ 40 ]

THE TALKING BIRD

diversion of hunting in that neighbourhood ? It is not worthy of
your presence ; but monarchs sometimes have vouchsafed to take
shelter in a cottage." "My children," replied the emperor,
"your house cannot be otherwise than beautiful and worthy of
its owners. I will call and see it with pleasure, which will be the
greater for having for my hosts you and your sister, who is
already dear to me from the account you give me of the rare
qualities with which she is endowed: and this satisfaction I will
defer no longer than to-morrow. Early in the morning I will
be at the place where I shall never forget that I first saw you.
Meet me, and you shall be my guides."

When the Princes Bahman and Perviz had returned home,
they gave the princess an account of the distinguished reception
the emperor had given them, and told her that they had invited
him to do them the honour, as he passed by, to call at their
house, and that he had appointed the next day.

"If it be so," replied the princess, "we must think of prepar-
ing a repast fit for his majesty; and for that purpose I think
it would be proper we should consult the Talking Bird, who
will tell us, perhaps, what meats the emperor likes best." The
princes approved of her plan, and after they had retired she
consulted the Bird alone. "Bird," said she, "the emperor will
do us the honour to-morrow to come and see our house, and we
are to entertain him ; tell us what we shall do to acquit ourselves
to his satisfaction."

"Good mistress," replied the Bird, "you have excellent
cooks, let them do the best they can; but above all things, let
them prepare a dish of cucumbers stuffed full of pearls, which
must be set before the emperor in the first course before all the
other dishes."

"Cucumbers stuffed full of pearls!" cried Princess Periezade

[ 41 ]

THE ARABIAN NIGHTS

with amazement; "surely, Bird, you do not know what you
say; it is an unheard of dish. The emperor may admire it as
a piece of magnificence, but he will sit down to eat, and not to
admire pearls; besides, all the pearls I possess are not enough
for such a dish."

"Mistress," said the Bird, "do what I say, and be not uneasy
about what may happen. Nothing but good will follow. As
for the pearls, go early to-morrow morning to the foot of the first
tree on your right hand in the park, dig under it, and you will
find more than you want."

That night the princess ordered a gardener to be ready to
attend her, and the next morning early, led him to the tree which
the Bird had told her of, and bade him dig at its foot. When
the gardener came to a certain depth, he found some resistance
to the spade, and presently discovered a gold box about a foot
square, which he showed the princess. "This," said she, "is
what I brought you for; take care not to injure it with the
spade."

When the gardener took up the box, he gave it into the
princess's hands, who, as it was only fastened with neat little
hasps, soon opened it, and found it full of pearls of a moderate
size, but equal and fit for the use that was to be made of them.
Very well satisfied with having found this treasure, after she had
shut the box again, she put it under her arm and went back to the
house, while the gardener threw the earth into the hole at the
foot of the tree as it had been before.

The Princes Bahman and Perviz, who, as they were dressing
themselves in their own apartments, saw their sister in the garden
earlier than usual, as soon as they could get out went to her,
and met her as she was returning with a gold box under her arm,
which much surprised them. "Sister," said Bahman, "you

[ 42 ]

THE TALKING BIRD

carried nothing with you when we saw you before with the
gardener, and now we see you have a golden box; is this some
treasure found by the gardener, and did he come and tell you
of it?"

"No, brother," answered the princess, *'I took the gardener
to the place where this casket was concealed, and showed him
where to dig; but you will be more amazed when you see what
it contains."

The princess opened the box, and when the princes saw that
it was full of pearls, which, though small, were of great value,
they asked her how she came to the knowledge of this treasure.
*' Brothers," said she, "come with me and I will tell you." The
princess, as they returned to the house, gave them an account of
her having consulted the Bird, as they had agreed she should,
and the answer he had given her; the objection she had raised
to preparing a dish of cucumbers stuffed full of pearls, and how
he had told her w^here to find this box. The sister and brothers
formed many conjectures to penetrate into what the Bird could
mean by ordering them to prepare such a dish; but after much
conversation, they agreed to follow his advice exactly.

As soon as the princess entered the house, she called for the
head cook; and after she had given him directions about the
entertainment for the emperor, said to him: "Besides all this,
you must dress an extraordinary dish for the emperor's own
eating, which nobody else must have anything to do with besides
yourself. This dish must be of cucumbers stuffed with these
pearls"; and at the same time she opened him the box, and
showed him the jewels.

The chief cook, who had never heard of such a dish, started
back, and showed his thoughts by his looks ; which the princess
penetrating, said: "I see you take me to be mad to order such a

[ 43 ]

THE ARABIAN NIGHTS

dish, which one may say with certainty was never made. I
know this as well as you; but I am not mad, and give you these
orders with the most perfect recollection. You must invent and
do the best you can, and bring me back what pearls are left."
The cook could make no reply, but took the box and retired;
and afterward the princess gave directions to all the domestics
to have everything in order, both in the house and gardens, to
receive the emperor.

Next day the two princes went to the place appointed, and
as soon as the emperor of Persia arrived the chase began and
lasted till the heat of the sun obliged him to leave off. While
Prince Bahman stayed to conduct the emperor to their house,
Prince Perviz rode before to show the way, and when he came in
sight of the house, spurred his horse, to inform the princess that
the emperor was approaching; but she had been told by some
servants whom she had placed to give notice, and the prince
found her waiting ready to receive him.

When the emperor had entered the court-yard and alighted
at the portico, the princess came and threw herself at his feet,
and the two princes informed him she was their sister, and
besought him to accept her respects.

The emperor stooped to raise her, and after he had gazed
some time on her beauty, struck with her fine person and dignified
air, she said: "The brothers are worthy of the sister, and she
worthy of them; since, if I may judge of her understanding by her
person, I am not amazed that the brothers would do nothing with-
out their sister's consent; but," added he, "I hope to be better
acquainted with you, my daughter, after I have seen the house."

"Sir," said the princess, "it is only a plain country residence,
fit for such people as we are, who live retired from the great
world. It is not to be compared with the magnificent palaces

[ 44 ]

THE TALKING BIRD

of emperors." "I cannot perfectly agree with you in opinion,"
said the emperor very obligingly "for its first appearance makes
me suspect you; however, I will not pass my judgment upon it
till I have seen it all; therefore be pleased to conduct me through
the apartments."

The princess led the emperor through all the rooms except the
hall; and, after he had considered them very attentively, and
admired their variety, "My daughter," said he to the princess,
"do you call this a country house ? The finest and largest cities
would soon be deserted if all country houses were like yours. I
am no longer surprised that you despise the town. Now let
me see the garden, which I doubt not is answerable to the
house."

The princess opened a door which led into the garden, and
the first object which presented itself to the emperor's view was
the golden fountain. Surprised at so rare an object, he asked
from whence that wonderful water, which gave so much pleasure
to behold, had been procured; where was its source, and by
w^hat art it was made to play so high. He said he would pres-
ently take a nearer view of it.

The princess then led him to the spot where the harmonious
tree was planted ; and there the emperor heard a concert, different
from all he had ever heard before ; and stopping to see where the
musicians were, he could discern nobody far or near, but still
distinctly heard the music which ravished his senses. "My
daughter," said he to the princess, "where are the musicians
whom I hear ? Are they under ground, or invisible in the air ?
Such excellent performers will hazard nothing by being seen; on
the contrary, they would please the more."

"Sir," answered the princess, smihng, "they are not musicians,
but the leaves of the tree your majesty sees before you, which

[ 45 ]

THE ARABIAN NIGHTS

form this concert; and if you will give yourself the trouble to go
a little nearer, you will be convinced, and the voices will be the
more distinct."

The emperor went nearer and was so charmed with the sweet
harmony that he would never have been tired with hearing it, but
that his desire to have a nearer view of the fountain of golden
water forced him away. "Daughter," said he, "tell me, I pray you,
whether this wonderful tree was found in your garden by chance,
or was a present made to you, or have you procured it from some
foreign country.^ It must certainly have come from a great
distance, otherwise curious as I am after natural rarities I should
have heard of it. What name do you call it by.?"

"Sir," replied the princess, "this tree has no other name than
that of the Singing Tree, and is not a native of this country.
It would at present take up too much time to tell your majesty
by what adventures it came here; its history is connected with
the Golden Water and the Talking Bird, which came to me at
the same time, and which your majesty may presently see. But
if it be agreeable to your majesty, after you have rested yourself
and recovered the fatigue of hunting, which must be the greater
because of the sun's intense heat, I will do myself the honour of
relating it to you."

"My daughter," replied the emperor, "my fatigue is so well
recompensed by the wonderful things you have shown me, that
I do not feel it in the least. Let me see the Golden Water, for I
am impatient to see and admire afterward the Talking Bird."

When the emperor came to the Golden Water, his eyes were
fixed so steadfastly upon the fountain, that he could not take them
off. At last, addressing himself to the princess, he said: "x\s
you tell me, daughter, that this water has no spring or communi-
cation, I conclude that it is foreign, as well as the Singing Tree."

[ 46 ]

THE TALKING BIRD

"Sir," replied the princess, "it is as your majesty conjectures;
and to let you know that this water has no communication with
any spring, I must inform you that the basin is one entire stone,
so that the water cannot come in at the sides or underneath.
But what your majesty will think most wonderful is that all
this water proceeded but from one small flagon, emptied into
this basin, which increased to the quantity you see, by a property
peculiar to itself, and formed this fountain.'* "Well," said the
emperor, going from the fountain, "this is enough for one time.
I promise myself the pleasure to come and visit it often ; but now
let us go and see the Talking Bird."

As he went toward the hall, the emperor perceived a pro-
digious number of singing birds in the trees around, filling the
air with their songs and warblings, and asked why there were
so many there and none on the other trees in the garden. "The
reason, sir," answered the princess, "is because they come from
all parts to accompany the song of the Talking Bird, which your
majesty may see in a cage in one of the windows of the hall we
are approaching; and if you attend, you will perceive that his
notes are sweeter than those of any of the other birds, even the
nightingale's."

The emperor went into the hall; and as the Bird continued
singing, the princess raised her voice, and said, "My slave, here
is the emperor, pay your compHments to him." The Bird left
off singing that instant, when all the other birds ceased also, and
said: "The emperor is welcome; God prosper him and prolong
his life!" As the entertainment was served on the sofa near the
window where the Bird was placed, the sultan rephed, as he was
taking his seat: "Bird, I thank you, and am overjoyed to find in
you the sultan and king of birds."

As soon as the emperor saw the dish of cucumbers set before

[ 47 ]

THE ARABIAN NIGHTS

him, thinking they were prepared in the best manner, he reached
out his hand and took one; but when he cut it, was in extreme
surprise to find it stuffed with pearls. "What novelty is this?"
said he; "and with what design were these cucumbers stuffed
thus with pearls, since pearls are not to be eaten?" He looked
at his hosts to ask them the meaning when the Bird inter-
rupting him, said: "Can your majesty be in such great astonish-
ment at cucumbers stuffed with pearls, which you see with your
own eyes, and yet so easily believe that the queen, your wife,
gave birth to a dog, a cat, and a piece of wood?" "I believed
those things," replied the emperor, "because the attendants as-
sured me of the facts." "Those attendants, sir," replied the
Bird, "were the queen's two sisters, who, envious of her happiness
in being preferred by your majesty before them, to satisfy their
envy and revenge, have abused your majesty's credulity. If you
interrogate them, they will confess their crime. The two brothers
and the sister whom you see before you are your own children,
whom they exposed, and who were taken in by the intendant of
your gardens, who provided nurses for them, and took care of
their education."

This speech presently cleared up the emperor's understand-
ing. "Bird," cried he, "I believe the truth which you discover to
me. The inclination which drew me to them told me plainly
they must be of my own blood. Come then, my sons, come, my
daughter, let me embrace you, and give you the first marks of a
father's love and tenderness." The emperor then rose, and after
having embraced the two princes and the princess, and mingled
his tears with theirs, said: "It is not enough, my children; you
must embrace each other, not as the children of the intendant of
my gardens, to whom I have been so much obliged for preserving
your lives, but as my own children, of the royal blood of the

[ 48 ]

THE TALKING BIRD

monarchs of Persia, whose glory, I am persuaded you will
maintain."

After the two princes and princess had embraced mutually
with new satisfaction, the emperor sat down again with them,
and finished his meal in haste; and when he had done, said:
*'My children, you see in me your father; to-morrow I will bring
the queen, your mother, therefore prepare to receive her."

The emperor afterward mounted his horse, and returned
with expedition to his capitol. The first thing he did, as soon
as he had alighted and entered his palace, was to command the
grand vizier to seize the queen's two sisters. They were taken
from their houses separately, convicted, and condemned to
death; which sentence was put in execution within an hour.

In the meantime, the Emperor Kosrouschah, followed by all
the lords of his court who were then present, went on foot to the
door of the great mosque; and after he had taken the queen out
of the strict confinement she had languished under for so many
years, embracing her in the miserable condition to which she
was then reduced, said to her with tears in his eyes: "I come to
entreat your pardon for the injustice I have done you, and to
make you the reparation I ought; which I have begun, by pun-
ishing the unnatural wretches who put the abominable cheat
upon me; and I hope you will look upon it as complete, when I
present to you two accomplished princes and a lovely princess,
our children. Come and resume your former rank, with all the
honours which are your due." All this was done and said before
great crowds of people who flocked from all parts at the first
news of what was passing, and immediately spread the joyful
intelligence through the city.

Next morning early the emperor and queen, whose mournful
humiHating dress was changed for magnificent robes, went with

[ 49 ]

THE ARABIAN NIGHTS

all their court to the house built by the intendant of the gardens,
where the emperor presented the Princes Bahman and Perviz,
and the Princess Periezade to their enraptured mother. "These,
much injured wife," said he, "are the two princes your sons, and
the princess your daughter ; embrace them with the same tender-
ness I have done, since they are worthy both of me and you."
The tears flowed plentifully down their cheeks at these tender
embraces, especially the queen's, from the comfort and joy of
having two such princes for her sons, and such a princess for her
daughter, on whose account she had so long endured the severest
afflictions.

The two princes and the princess had prepared a magnificent
repast for the emperor and queen and their court. As soon as
that was over, the emperor led the queen into the garden, and
shewed her the Harmonious Tree and the beautiful effect of the
Golden Fountain. She had seen the Bird in his cage, and the
emperor had spared no panegyric in his praise during the
repast.

When there was nothing to detain the emperor any longer,
he took horse, and with the Princes Bahman and Perviz on his
right hand, and the queen consort and the princess at his left,
preceded and followed by all the officers of his court, according
to their rank, returned to his capital. Crowds of people came
out to meet them, and with acclamations of joy ushered them
into the city, where all eyes were fixed not only upon the queen,
and her royal children, but also upon the Bird, which the princess
carried before her in his cage, admiring his sweet notes, which
had drawn all the other birds about him, and followed him flying
from tree to tree in the country, and from one house top to
another in the city. The Princes Bahman and Perviz and the
Princess Periezade were at length brought to the palace with

[50]

THE TALKING BIRD

pomp, and nothing was to be seen or heard all that night but
illuminations and rejoicings both in the palace and in the utmost
parts of the city, which lasted many days, and were continued
throughout the empire of Persia, as intelligence of the joyful
event reached the several provinces.

[SI]

THE STORY OF THE FISHERMAN
AND THE GENIE

THERE was once an aged fisherman who was so poor
that he could scarcely earn as much as would main-
tain himself, his wife, and three children. He went
every day to fish betimes in the morning, and imposed it as a
law upon himself not to cast his nets above four times a day.
He went one morning by moonlight, and coming to the seaside,
undressed himself, and cast in his nets. As he drew them toward
the shore, he found them very heavy, and thought he had a good
draught of fish, at which he rejoiced; but a moment after,
perceiving that instead of fish his net contained nothing but the
carcass of an ass, he was much vexed.

When he had mended his nets, which the carcass of the ass
had broken in several places, he threw them in a second time;
and when he drew them, found a great deal of resistance, which
made him think he had taken abundance of fish; but he found
nothing except a basket full of gravel and slime, which grieved
him extremely. "O Fortune!" cried he, with a lamentable tone,
"be not angry with me, nor persecute a wretch who prays thee
to spare him. I came hither from my house to seek for my
livelihood, and thou pronouncest against me a sentence of death.
I have no other trade but this to subsist by, and, notwithstanding
all my care, I can scarcely provide what is necessary for my
family. But I am to blame to complain of thee; thou takest

[ 52 ]

THE FISHERMAN AND THE GENIE

pleasure to persecute honest people, and advancest those who
have no virtue to recommend them."

Having finished this complaint, he fretfully threw away the
basket, and, washing his nets from the slime, cast them a third
time, but brought up nothing except stones, shells, and mud.
No language can express his disappointment; he was almost
distracted. However, when day began to appear, he did not
forget to say his prayers Hke a good Mussulman, and he added
to them this petition: "Lord, thou knowest that I cast my nets
only four times a day; I have already drawn them three times,
without the least reward for my labour: I am only to cast them
once more; I pray thee to render the sea favourable to me, as
thou didst to Moses."

The fisherman, having finished this prayer, cast his nets the
fourth time; and when he thought it was proper, drew them as
formerly with great difficulty; but instead of fish found nothing
in them but a vessel of yellow copper, which, from its weight,
seemed not to be empty; and he observed that it was fastened and
closed with lead, having the impression of a seal upon it. This
turn of fortune rejoiced him: "I will sell it," said he, "to the
founder, and with the money buy a measure of corn." He ex-
amined the vessel on all sides, and shook it to see if its contents
made any noise, but heard nothing. This circumstance, with the
impression of the seal upon the cover, made him think it enclosed
something precious. To try this, he took a knife and opened it
with very little labour. He turned the mouth downward, but noth-
ing came out, whicK surprised him extremely. He placed it before
him, but while he viewed it attentively, there burst forth a very
thick smoke, which obliged him to retire two or three paces back.

The smoke ascended to the clouds, and, extending itself along
the sea and upon the shore, formed a great mist, which filled the

[ 53 ]

THE ARABIAN NIGHTS

fisherman with astonishment. When the smoke was all out of
the vessel, it reunited, and became a solid body, of which was
formed a genie twice as high as the greatest of giants. At the
sight of such a monster the fisherman would fain have fled, but
was so frightened that he could not move.

"Solomon," cried the genie immediately, "Solomon, the great
prophet, pardon, pardon; I will never more oppose your will,
I will obey all your commands."

The fisherman, when he heard these words of the genie,
recovered his courage and said to him: "Thou proud spirit,
what is it you say ? It is above eighteen hundred years since the
prophet Solomon died, and we are now at the end of time. Tell
me your history, and how you came to be shut up in this vessel."

The genie, turning to the fisherman with a fierce look, said:
"Thou must address me with more courtesy; thou art a presump-
tuous fellow to call me a proud spirit; speak to me more respect-
fully, or I will kill thee." "Ah!" repHed the fisherman, "why
should you kill me ? Did I not just now set you at liberty, and
have you already forgotten my services.?"

"No, I remember it," said the genie, "but that shall not save
thy life: I have only one favour to grant thee." "And what is
that.?" asked the fisherman. "It is," answered the genie, "to
give thee thy choice in what manner thou wouldst have me put
thee to death." "But wherein have I offended you .?" demanded
the fisherman. "Is that your reward for the service I have
rendered you.?" "I cannot treat thee otherwise," said the
genie; "and that thou may est know the reason, hearken to my
story."

"I am one of those rebellious spirits that opposed the will
of Solomon, the son of David, and to avenge himself, that
monarch sent Asaph, the son of Barakhia, his chief minister, to

[ 54 ]

The smoke ascended to the clouds, and extending itself along
the sea and upon the shore formed a great mist.

THE FISHERMAN AND THE GENIE

apprehend me. Asaph seized my person, and brought me by
force before his master's throne.

"Solomon commanded me to acknowledge his power, and to
submit to his commands. I bravely refused, and told him I would
rather expose myself to his resentment, than swear fealty as he
required. To punish me, he shut me up in this copper vessel;
and that I might not break my prison, he himself stamped upon
this leaden cover his seal with the great name of God engraven
upon it. He then gave the vessel to one of the genies who had
submitted, with orders to throw me into the sea.

"During the first hundred years of my imprisonment, I
swore that if any one should deliver me before the expiration of
that period, I would make him rich, even after his death; but
that century ran out, and nobody did me the good office. During
the second, I made an oath that I would open all the treasures
of the earth to any one that might set me at liberty ; but with no
better success. In the third, I promised to make my deliverer
a potent monarch, and to grant him every day three requests,
of what nature soever they might be; but this century passed as
well as the two former, and I continued in prison. At last, being
angry to find myself a prisoner so long, I swore that if afterward
any one should deliver me, I would kill him without mercy, and
grant him no favour but to choose the manner of his death; and,
therefore, since thou hast delivered me to-day, I give thee that
choice."

This discourse afflicted the fisherman extremely: "I am
very unfortunate," cried he, "to come hither to do such a kindness
to one that is so ungrateful. I beg you to consider your injustice,
and revoke such an unreasonable oath ; pardon me, and Heaven
will pardon you ; if you grant me my life. Heaven will protect you
from all attempts against your own." "No, thy death is resolved

[55 ]

THE ARABIAN NIGHTS

on," said the genie, "only choose in what manner thou wilt die."
The fisherman, perceiving the genie to be resolute, was extremely
grieved, not so much for himself, as on account of his three
children, and bewailed the misery they must be reduced to by
his death. He endeavoured still to appease the genie, and said,
*'Alas! be pleased to take pity on me, in consideration of the
service I have done you." "I have told thee already," replied
the genie, "it is for that very reason I must kill thee." "That is
strange," said the fisherman, "are you resolved to reward good
with evil ? The proverb truly says, * He who does good to one
who deserves it not, is always ill rewarded.' " "Do not lose time,"
interrupted the genie; "all thy chattering shall not divert me from
my purpose ; make haste, and tell me what kind of death thou
preferrest .^ "

Necessity is the mother of invention. The fisherman
bethought himself of a stratagem. "Since I must die then,"
said he to the genie, "I submit to the will of Heaven; but before
I choose the manner of my death, I conjure you, by the great
name w^hich was engraven upon the seal of the prophet Solomon,
to answer me truly the question I am going to ask you."

The genie finding himself obliged to a positive answer by
this adjuration, trembled, and replied to the fisherman: "Ask
what thou wilt, but make haste."

The genie having thus promised to speak the truth, the
fisherman said to him: "I wish to know if you were actually in
this vessel: dare you swear it by the name of the great God.^"
"Yes," replied the genie, "I do swear by His great name that I
was." "In good faith," answered the fisherman, "I cannot be-
lieve you ; the vessel is not capable of holding one of your size,
and how should it be possible that your whole body could lie in
it ?" "I swear to thee, notwithstanding," replied the genie, "that

[56]

THE FISHERMAN AND THE GENIE

I was there just as you see me here. Is it possible that thou dost
not beheve me after the solemn oath I have taken ?" *' Truly not
I," said the fisherman; "nor will I believe you, unless you go into
the vessel again."

Upon this the body of the genie dissolved and changed itself
into smoke, extending as before upon the sea-shore; and at last
being collected, it began to re-enter the vessel, which it continued
to do by a slow and equal motion, till no part remained out;
when immediately a voice came forth, which said to the fisher-
man: "Well, incredulous fellow, dost thou not believe me

The fisherman, instead of answering the genie, took the cover
of lead, and having speedily replaced it on the vessel, "Genie,"
cried he, "now it is your turn to beg my favour, and to choose
which way I shall put you to death ; but it is better that I should
throw you into the sea, whence I took you : and then I will build
a house upon the shore, where I w ill reside and give notice to all
fishermen who come to throw in their nets, to beware of such a
wicked genie as you are, who have made an oath to kill him that
shall set you at liberty."

The genie, enraged at these expressions, struggled to free
himself; but it was impossible, for the impression of Solomon's
seal prevented him. Perceiving that the fisherman had the
advantage of him, he thought fit to dissemble his anger; "Fisher-
man," said he, "take heed you do not what you threaten; for
what I spoke to you was only by way of jest." " O genie ! " replied
the fisherman, "thou who wast but a moment ago the greatest
of all genies, and now art the least of them, thy crafty discourse
will signify nothing, to the sea thou shalt return. If thou hast
been there already so long as thou hast told me, thou mayest very
well stay there till the day of judgment. I begged of thee, in

[ 57 ]

THE ARABIAN NIGHTS

God's name, not to take away my life, and thou didst reject my
prayers; I am obliged to treat thee in the same manner."

The genie omitted nothing that he thought likely to prevail
with the fisherman: "Open the vessel," said he, "give me my
liberty, and I promise to satisfy you to your own content."
"Thou art a traitor," replied the fisherman, "I should deserve
to lose my life, if I were such a fool as to trust thee."

"My good fisherman," replied the genie, "I conjure you once
more not to be guilty of such cruelty ; consider that it is not good
to avenge one's self, and that, on the other hand, it is commend-
able to do good for evil; do not treat me as Imama formerly
treated Ateca." "And what did Imama to Ateca.^" inquired
the fisherman. "Ho!" cried the genie, "if you have a mind to
be informed, open the vessel: do you think that I can be in a
humour to relate stories in so strait a prison ? I will tell you as
many as you please, when you have let me out." "No," said
the fisherman, "I will not let thee out; it is in vain to talk of it;
I am just going to throw thee into the bottom of the sea." "Hear
me one word more," cried the genie; "I promise to do you no
hurt; nay, far from that, I will show you a way to become
exceedingly rich."

The hope of delivering himself from poverty prevailed with
the fisherman. "I could listen to thee," said he, "were there any
credit to be given to thy word ; swear to me, by the great name
of God, that thou wilt faithfully perform what thou promisest,
and I will open the vessel; I do not believe thou wilt dare to
break such an oath."

The genie swore to him, upon which the fisherman imme-
diately took off the covering of the vessel. At that instant the
smoke ascended, and the genie, having resumed his form, the
first thing he did was to kick the vessel into the sea. This action

[58]

THE FISHERMAN AND THE GENIE

alarmed the fisherman. "Genie," said he, "will not you keep the
oath you just now made?"

The genie laughed at his fear, and answered: "Fisherman,
be not afraid, I only did it to divert myself, and to see if you
w^ould be alarmed at it; but to convince you that I am in earnest,
take your nets and follow me." As he spoke these words, he
w^alked before the fisherman, who having taken up his nets, fol-
lowed him, but with some distrust. They passed by the town,
and came to the top of a mountain, from whence they descended
into a vast plain, which brought them to a lake that lay betwixt
four hills.

When they reached the side of the lake, the genie said to the
fisherman: "Cast in your nets and catch fish." The fisherman
did not doubt of taking some, because he saw a great number in
the water; but he was extremely surprised when he found they
were of four colours ; white, red, blue, and yellow. He threw in
his nets and brought out one of each colour. Having never seen
the like before, he could not but admire them, and, judging that
he might get a considerable sum for them, he was very joyful.
"Carry those fish," said the genie to him, "and present them to
your sultan; he will give you more money for them. You may
come daily to fish in this lake; but I give you warning not to
throw in your nets above once a day, otherwise you will repent."
Having spoken thus, he struck his foot upon the ground, which
opened, and after it had swallowed him up, closed again.

The fisherman, being resolved to follow the genie's advice,
forbore casting in his nets a second time, and returned to the
town very well satisfied, and making a thousand reflections upon
his adventure. He went immediately to the sultan's palace to
offer his fish, and his majesty was much surprised when he
saw the wonders which the fisherman presented. He took them

[59 ]

THE ARABIAN NIGHTS

up one after another, and viewed them with attention; and after
having admired them a long time, "Take those fish," said he to
his vizier, "and carry them to the cook whom the emperor of the
Greeks has sent me. I cannot imagine but that they must be as
good as they are beautiful."

The vizier carried them as he was directed, and delivering
them to the cook, said: "Here are four fish just brought to the
sultan; he orders you to dress them." He then returned to the
sultan, who commanded him to give the fisherman four hundred
pieces of gold, which he did accordingly.

The fisherman, who had never seen so much money, could
scarcely believe his good fortune, but thought the whole must
be a dream, until he found it otherwise, by being able to provide
necessaries for his family with the produce of his nets.

As soon as the sultan's cook had cleaned the fish, she put them
upon the fire in a frying-pan, with oil, and when she thought them
fried enough on one side, she turned them upon the other; but,
O monstrous prodigy ! scarcely were they turned, when the wall
of the kitchen divided, and a young lady of wonderful beauty
entered from the opening. She held a rod in her hand and was
clad in flowered satin, with pendants in her ears, a necklace of
large pearls, and bracelets of gold set with rubies. She moved
toward the frying-pan, to the great amazement of the cook, and
striking one of the fish with the end of the rod, said: "Fish, fish,
are you in your duty .?" The fish having answered nothing, she
repeated these words, and then the four fish lifted up their heads,
and replied: "Yes, yes: if you reckon, we reckon; if you pay your
debts, we pay ours; if you fly, we overcome, and are content."
As soon as they had finished these words, the lady overturned the
frying-pan, and returned into the open part of the wall, which
closed immediately, and became as it was before.

[ CO ]

THE FISHERMAN AND THE GENIE

The cook was greatly frightened at what had happened, and
coming a Httle to herself went to take up the fish that had fallen
on the hearth, but found them blacker than coal and not fit to be
carried to the sultan. This grievously troubled her, and she fell
to weeping most bitterly. '*Alas!" said she, "what will become
of me ? If I tell the sultan what I have seen, I am sure he will
not believe me, but will be enraged against me."

While she was thus bewailing herself, the grand vizier entered,
and asked her if the fish were ready. She told him all that had
occurred, which we may easily imagine astonished him; but
without speaking a word of it to the sultan he invented an excuse
that satisfied him, and sending immediately for the fisherman bid
him bring four more such fish, for a misfortune had befallen the
others, so that they were not fit to be carried to the royal table.
The fisherman, without saying anything of what the genie had
told him, told the vizier he had a great way to go for them, in
order to excuse himself from bringing them that day, but said
that he w^ould certainly bring them on the morrow.

Accordingly the fisherman went away by night, and coming
to the lake, threw in his nets betimes next morning, took four
fish like the former, and brought them to the vizier at the hour
appointed. The minister took them himself, carried them to the
kitchen, and shutting himself up with the cook, she cleaned them
and put them on the fire. When they were fried on one side, and
she had turned them upon the other, the kitchen wall again
opened, and the same lady came in with the rod in her hand,
struck one of the fish, spoke to it as before, and all four gave
her the same answer.

After they had spoken to the young lady, she overturned the
frying-pan with her rod, and retired into the wall. The grand
vizier being witness to what had passed, "This is too wonderful

[ 61 ]

THE ARABIAN NIGHTS

and extraordinary," said he, *'to be concealed from the sultan;
I will inform him of this prodigy."

The sultan, being much surprised, sent immediately for the
fisherman, and said to him: "Friend, cannot you bring me four
more such fish ?" The fisherman replied: "If your majesty will
be pleased to allow me three days, I will do it." Having obtained
his time, he went to the lake immediately, and at the first throwing
in of his net he caught four fish, and brought them directly to
the sultan, who was so much the more rejoiced, as he did not
expect them so soon, and ordered him four hundred pieces of
gold. As soon as the sultan had the fish, he ordered them to be
carried into his closet, with all that was necessary for frying them ;
and having shut himself up with the vizier, the minister cleaned
them, put them into the pan, and when they were fried on one
side, turned them upon the other; then the wall of the closet
opened, but instead of the young lady, there came out a black, in
the habit of a slave, and of a gigantic stature, with a great green
staff in his hand. He advanced tow^ard the pan, and touching
one of the fish with his staff, said, with a terrible voice: "Fish, are
you in your duty.'^" At these words the fish raised up their
heads, and answered: "Yes, yes; we are; if you reckon, we
reckon ; if you pay your debts, we pay ours ; if you fly, we over-
come and are content."

The fish had no sooner finished these words, than the black
threw the pan into the middle of the closet, and reduced them
to a coal. Having done this, he retired fiercely, and entering
again into the aperture, it closed, and the wall appeared just as
it did before.

"After what I have seen," said the sultan to the vizier, "it
will not be possible for me to be easy; these fish, without doubt,
signify something extraordinary." He sent for the fisherman, and

[ 62 ]

THE FISHERMAN AND THE GENIE

when he came, said to him: "Fisherman, the fish you have
brought us make me very uneasy; where did you catch them?"
*'Sir," answered he, "I fished for them in a lake situated betwixt
four hills, beyond the mountain that w^e see from hence."
"Know'st thou not that lake?" said the sultan to the vizier.
"No," replied the vizier, "I never so much as heard of it, although
I have for sixty years hunted beyond that mountain." The
sultan asked the fisherman how far the lake might be from the
palace. The fisherman answered it was not above three hours'
journey; upon this assurance the sultan commanded all his
court to take horse, and the fisherman served them for a guide.
They all ascended the mountain, and at the foot of it they saw,
to their great surprise, a vast plain that nobody had observed
till then, and at last they came to the lake, which they found to
be situated betwixt four hills, as the fisherman had described.
The w^ater was so transparent that they observed all the fish to
be like those which the fisherman had brought to the palace.

The sultan stood upon the bank of the lake, and after behold-
ing the fish with admiration, demanded of his courtiers if it
were possible they had never seen this lake which was within
so short a distance of the town. They all answered that they
had never so much as heard of it.

"Since you all agree that you never heard of it," said the
sultan, "and as I am no less astonished than you are at this
novelty, I am resolved not to return to my palace till I learn
how this lake came here, and why all the fish in it are of four
colours." Having spoken thus, he ordered his court to encamp;
and immediately his pavilion and the tents of his household
were planted upon the banks of the lake.

When night came the sultan retired under his pavilion, and
spoke to the grand vizier thus: "Vizier, my mind is uneasy;

[ 63]

THE ARABIAN NIGHTS

this lake transported hither, the black that appeared to us in
my closet, and the fish that we heard speak; all these things
so much excite my curiosity that I cannot resist my impatient
desire to have it satisfied. To this end I am resolved to with-
draw alone from the camp, and I order you to keep my absence
secret: stay in my pavilion, and to-morrow morning, when the
emirs and courtiers come to attend my levee, send them away
and tell them that I am somewhat indisposed and wish to be alone;
and the following days tell them the same thing, till I return."

The grand vizier endeavoured to divert the sultan from this
design; he represented to him the danger to which he might be
exposed, and that all his labour might perhaps be in vain; but
it was to no purpose; the sultan was resolved. He put on a suit
fit for walking and took his cimeter; and as soon as he found
that all was quiet in the camp, went out alone, and passed over
one of the hills without much difficulty; he found the descent
still more easy, and when he came to the plain, walked on till
the sun arose, and then he saw before him, at a considerable
distance, a vast building. He rejoiced at the sight, in hopes of
receiving there the information he sought. When he drew near,
he found it was a magnificent palace, or rather a strong castle,
of black polished marble, and covered with fine steel, as smooth
as glass. Being highly pleased that he had so speedily met with
something worthy his curiosity, he stopped before the front of
the castle, and considered it with attention.

He then advanced toward the gate, which had two leaves,
one of them open; though he might immediately have entered,
yet he thought it best to knock. This he did at first softly, and
waited for some time; but seeing no one, and supposing he had
not been heard, he knocked harder the second time, and after
that he knocked again and again, but no one yet appearing, he

[ 64 ]

THE FISHERMAN AND THE GENIE

was exceedingly surprised; for he could not think that a castle
in such repair was without inhabitants. "If there be no one in
it," said he to himself, "I have nothing to fear; and if it be in-
habited, I have wherewith to defend myself."

At last he entered, and when he came within the porch, he
cried: "Is there no one here to receive a stranger who comes in
for some refreshment as he passes by.^" He repeated the same
words two or three times; but though he spoke very loud, he
was not answered. The silence increased his astonishment: he
came into a spacious court, and looked on every side for inhabi-
tants, but discovered none.

Perceiving nobody in the court, he entered the grand halls,
which were hung with silk tapestry, the alcoves and sofas covered
with stuffs of Mecca, and the porches with the richest stuffs of
India. He came afterward into a superb saloon, in the middle
of which was a fountain, with a lion of massy gold at each angle:
water issued from the mouths of the four lions, and as it fell,
formed diamonds and pearls resembling a jet d'eau, which,
springing from the middle of the fountain, rose nearly to the top
of a cupola painted in Arabesque.

The castle, on three sides, was encompassed by a garden,
with parterres of flowers and shrubbery; and to complete the
beauty of the place, an infinite number of birds filled the air
with their harmonious notes, and always remained there, nets
being spread over the garden, and fastened to the palace to confine
them. The sultan walked from apartment to apartment, where
he found everything rich and magnificent. Being tired with
walking, he sat down in a veranda, which had a view over the
garden, reflecting upon what he had seen, when suddenly he
heard the voice of one complaining, in lamentable tones. He
listened with attention, and heard distinctly these words: "O

[ 65 ]

THE ARABIAN NIGHTS

fortune! thou who wouldst not suffer me longer to enjoy a happy
lot, forbear to persecute me, and by a speedy death put an end
to my sorrows. Alas! is it possible that I am still alive, after so
many torments as I have suffered!"

The sultan rose up, advanced toward the place whence he
heard the voice, and coming to the door of a great hall, opened
it, and saw a handsome young man, richly habited, seated upon
a throne raised a little above the ground. Melancholy was
painted on his countenance. The sultan drew near and saluted
him; the young man returned his salutation, by an inclination
of his head, not being able to rise, at the same time saying: "My
lord, I should rise to receive you, but am hindered by sad neces-
sity, and therefore hope you will not be offended." "My lord,"
replied the sultan, "I am much obliged to you for having so good
an opinion of me: as to the reason of your not rising, whatever
your apology be, I heartily accept it. Being drawn hither by
your complaints, and afflicted by your grief, I come to offer you
my help. I flatter myself that you will relate to me the history
of your misfortunes; but inform me first of the meaning of
the lake near the palace, where the fish are of four colours;
whose castle is this; how you came to be here; and why you
are alone."

Instead of answering these questions, the young man began
to weep bitterly. "How inconstant is fortune!" cried he; "she
takes pleasure to pull down those she has raised. Where are
they who enjoy quietly the happiness which they hold of her, and
whose day is always clear and serene ?"

The sultan, moved with compassion to see him in such a
condition, prayed him to relate the cause of his excessive grief.
"Alas! my lord," replied the young man, "how is it possible but I
should grieve, and my eyes be inexhaustible fountains of tears?"

[ QQ ]

THE YOUNG KING OF THE BLACK ISLES

At these words, lifting up his robe, he showed the sultan that he
was a man only from the head to the girdle, and that the other
half of his body was black marble.

The sultan was much surprised when he saw the deplorable
condition of the young man. "That which you show me," said
he, "while it fills me with horror, excites my curiosity, so that I
am impatient to hear your history, which, no doubt, must be
extraordinary, and I am persuaded that the lake and the fish
make some part of it; therefore I conjure you to relate it. You
will find some comfort in so doing, since it is certain that the
unfortunate find relief in making known their distress." "I
will not refuse your request," replied the young man, "though I
cannot comply w^ithout renewing my grief. But I give you notice
beforehand, to prepare your ears, your mind, and even your eyes,
for things which surpass all that the imagination can conceive."

THE HISTORY OF THE YOUNG KING OF THE

BLACK ISLES

"You must know, my lord," said the wretched prisoner,
"that my father, named Mahmoud, was monarch of this country.
This is the kingdom of the Black Isles, which takes its name
from the four small neighbouring mountains; for those moun-
tains were formerly isles, and the capital where the king, my
father, resided was situated on the spot now occupied by the
lake you have seen. The sequel of my history will inform you of
the reason for those changes.

" The king, my father, died when he was seventy years of age;
I had no sooner succeeded him than I married, and the lady I
chose to share the royal dignity with me was my cousin. I had

[ 67 ]

THE ARABIAN NIGHTS

so much reason to be satisfied with her affection, and, on my part,
loved her with so much tenderness, that nothing could surpass the
harmony of our union. This lasted five years, at the end of
w hich time I perceived the queen ceased to delight in my atten-
tions.

"One day, after dinner, while she was at the bath, I found
myself inclined to repose, and lay down upon a sofa. Two of
her ladies, who w^ere then in my chamber, came and sat down,
one at my head and the other at my feet, with fans in their
hands to moderate the heat, and to prevent the flies from dis-
turbing me. They thought I was asleep, and spoke in whispers;
but as I only closed my eyes, I heard all their conversation.

"One of them said to the other, 'Is not the queen wrong, not
to love so amiable a prince ? ' ' Certainly,' replied her companion ;
'I do not understand the reason, neither can I conceive why she
goes out every night, and leaves him alone! Is it possible that he
does not perceive it .^ ' ' Alas ! ' said the first, ' how should he ?
She mixes every evening in his liquor the juice of a certain herb,
which makes him sleep so sound all night that she has time to
go where she pleases, and as day begins to appear she comes
and wakes him by the smell of something she puts under his
nostrils.'

"You may guess, my lord, how much I was surprised at this
conversation, and with what sentiments it inspired me; yet
whatever emotion it excited I had sufficient self-command to
dissemble, and feigned to awake without having heard a word.

"The queen returned from the bath, w^e supped together, and
she presented me with a cup full of such liquid as I w^as accus-
tomed to drink ; but instead of putting it to my mouth, I went to a
window that w^as open, threw out the water so quickly that she
did not perceive it, and returned.

[68]

THE YOUNG KING OF THE BLACK ISLES

"Soon after, believing that I was asleep, she arose with so
little precaution, that she whispered loud enough for me to hear
her distinctly, 'Sleep on, and may you never wake again!' and
so saying, she dressed herself, and went out of the chamber.

*'As soon as the queen, my wife, was gone, I arose in haste,
took my cimeter, and followed her so quickly that I soon heard the
sound of her feet before me, and then walked softly after her.
She passed through several gates, which opened upon her pro-
nouncing some magical words, and the last she opened was that
of the garden, which she entered. I stopped at this gate, that she
might not perceive me as she passed along a parterre; then
looking after her as far as the darkness of the night permitted,
I saw her enter a little wood, whose walks were guarded by thick
palisadoes. I went thither by another way, and concealing
myself, I saw her walking there with a man.

*'I did not fail to lend the most attentive ear to their discourse,
and heard her address herself thus to her gallant: 'I do not
deserve,' she said, *to be reproached by you for want of diligence.
You well know the reason ; but if all the proofs of affection I have
already given you be not sufficient to convince you of my sincerity,
I am ready to give you others more decisive : you need but com-
mand me, you know my power; I will, if you desire it, before
sunrise convert this great city, and this superb palace, into
frightful ruins, inhabited only by wolves, owls, and ravens. If
you would have me transport all the stones of those walls so
solidly built, beyond Mount Caucasus, the bounds of the habit-
able world, speak but the word, and all shall be changed.'

"As the queen finished this speech she and her companion
came to the end of the walk, turned to enter another, and passed
before me. I had already drawn my cimeter, and the man
being next me, I struck him on the neck, and brought him to the

[69]

THE ARABIAN NIGHTS

ground. I concluded I had killed him, and therefore retired
speedily without making myself known to the queen, whom I
chose to spare, because she was my kinswoman.

"The wound I had given her companion was mortal; but
by her enchantments she preserved him in an existence in which
he could not be said to be either dead or alive. As I crossed the
garden to return to the palace, I heard the queen loudly lament-
ing, and judging by her cries how much she was grieved, I was
pleased that I had spared her life.

"As soon as I had reached my apartment, I went to bed, and
being satisfied with having punished the villain who had injured
me, fell asleep.

"Next morning I arose, went to my closet, and dressed myself.
I afterward held my council. At my return, the queen, clad in
mourning, her hair dishevelled, and part of it torn off, presented
herself before me, and said: *I come to beg your majesty not to
be surprised to see me in this condition. My heavy affliction is
occasioned by intelligence of three distressing events which I
have just received.' *Alas! what are they, madam.?' said I.
'The death of the queen, my dear mother,' she replied,* that of
the king, my father, killed in battle, and of one of my brothers,
who has fallen down a precipice.'

"I was not displeased that she used these pretexts to conceal
the true cause of her grief. 'Madam,' said I, 'so far from blam-
ing, I assure you I heartily commiserate your sorrow. I should
feel surprise if you were insensible to such heavy calamities:
weep on ; your tears are so many proofs of your tenderness ; but
I hope that time and reflection will moderate your grief.'

"She retired into her apartment, where, giving herself wholly
up to sorrow, she spent a whole year in mourning and lamenta-
tion. At the end of that period, she begged permission to erect

C 70 ]

THE YOUNG KING OF THE BLACK ISLES

a burying-place for herself, within the bounds of the palace,
where she would continue, she told me, to the end of her days:
I consented, and she built a stately edifice, and called it the
Palace of Tears. When it was finished, she caused the object
of her care to be conveyed thither; she had hitherto prevented
his dying, by potions which she had administered to him; and
she continued to convey them to him herself every day after he
came to the Palace of Tears.

"Yet, with all her enchantments, she could not cure the
wretch; he was not only unable to walk or support himself,
but had also lost the use of his speech, and exhibited no sign of
life except in his looks.

** Every day the queen made him two long visits. I was well
apprised of this, but pretended ignorance. One day my curiosity
induced me to go to the Palace of Tears, to observe how my
consort employed herself, and from a place where she could not
see me, I heard her thus address the wounded ruflSan: *I am
afilicted to the highest degree to behold you in this condition/
she cried, ' I am as sensible as yourself of the tormenting pain you
endure; but, dear soul, I am continually speaking to you, and
you do not answer me : how long will you remain silent ? Speak
only one w ord : alas ! the sweetest moments of my life are these
I spend here in partaking of your grief.'

"At these words, which were several times interrupted by her
sighs, I lost all patience : and discovering myself, came up to her,
and said, 'Madam, you have w^ept enough, it is time to give over
this sorrow, which dishonours us both; you have too much
forgotten what you owe to me and to yourself.' 'Sire,' said she,
'if you have any kindness or compassion for me left, I beseech
you to put no restraint upon me; allow me to indulge my grief,
which it is impossible for time to assuage.'

[ 71 ]

THE ARABIAN NIGHTS

"When I perceived that my remonstrance, instead of restoring
her to a sense of duty, served only to increase her anguish, I
ceased speaking and retired. She continued every day to visit
her charge, and for two whole years abandoned herself to grief
and despair.

"I went a second time to the Palace of Tears, while she was
there. I concealed myself again, and heard her thus cry out:
* It is now three years since you spoke one word to me ; you answer
not the proofs I give you of my devotion by my sighs and lamenta-
tions. Is it from insensibility, or contempt.'^ O tomb! tell
me by what miracle thou becamest the depository of the rarest
treasure the world ever contained.'

**I must confess, my lord, I was enraged at these expressions;
for, in truth, this adored mortal was by no means what you
would imagine him to have been. He was a black Indian, one
of the original natives of this country. I was so enraged at the
language addressed to him, that I discovered myself, and apostro-
phising the tomb in my turn, I cried, *0 tomb! why dost thou
not swallow up that. monster so revolting to human nature, or
rather why dost thou not swallow up this pair of monsters ? '

"I had scarcely uttered these words, when the queen, who
sat by the black, rose up like a fury: 'Miscreant!' said she,
*thou art the cause of my grief; do not think I am ignorant of
this, I have dissembled too long. It was thy barbarous hand
that brought the object of my fondness into this lamentable
condition; and thou hast the cruelty to come and insult me.'
'Yes,' said I, in a rage, 'it was I who chastised that monster,
according to his desert; I ought to have treated thee in the same
manner ; I now repent that I did not ; thou hast too long abused
my goodness.' As I spoke these words, I drew out my cimeter,
and lifted up my hand to punish her; but regarding me stead-

[ 72 ]

THE YOUNG KING OF THE BLACK ISLES

fastly, she said with a jeering smile, 'Moderate thine anger/
At the same time she pronounced words I did not understand;
and afterward added, 'By virtue of my enchantments, I com-
mand thee to become half marble and half man.' Immediately,
my lord, I became what you see, a dead man among the living,
and a living man among the dead. After this cruel sorceress,
unworthy of the name of queen, had metamorphosed me thus,
and brought me into this hall, by another enchantment she
destroyed my capital, which was very flourishing and populous;
she annihilated the houses, the public places and markets, and
reduced the site of the whole to the lake and desert plain you have
seen; the fishes of four colours in the waters are the four kinds
of inhabitants, of different religions, which the city contained.
The white are the Mussulmans; the red, the Persians, who
worship fire; the blue, the Christians; and the yellow, the Jews.
The four little hills were the four islands that gave name to this
kingdom. I learned all this from the enchantress, who, to add to
my affliction, related to me these effects of her rage. But this
is not all ; her revenge not being satisfied with the destruction of
my dominions, and the metamorphosis of my person, she comes
every day, and gives me over my naked shoulders a hundred
lashes with a whip until I am covered with blood. When she
has finished this part of my punishment, she throws over me a
coarse stuff of goat's hair, and over that this robe of brocade, not
to honour, but to mock me."

When he came to this part of his narrative, the young king
could not restrain his tears ; and the sultan was himself so affected
by the relation, that he could not find utterance for any words
of consolation. Shortly after, the young king, lifting up his eyes
to heaven, exclaimed, "Mighty creator of all things, I submit
myself to Thy judgments, and to the decrees of Thy providence:

[ 73]

THE ARABIAN NIGHTS

I endure my calamities with patience, since it is Thy will that
things should be as they are; but I hope that Thy infinite goodness
will ultimately reward me."

The sultan, greatly moved by the recital of this affecting
story, and anxious to avenge the sufferings of the unfortunate
prince, said to him: *' Inform me whither this perfidious sorceress
retires, and where may be found the vile wretch, who is entombed
before his death." "My lord," replied the prince, "the Indian,
as I have already told you, is lodged in the Palace of Tears, in a
superb tomb constructed in the form of a dome: this palace joins
the castle on the side in which the gate is placed. As to the
queen, I cannot tell you precisely whither she retires, but every
day at sunrise she goes to visit her charge, after having executed
her bloody vengeance upon me; and you see I am not in a condi-
tion to defend myself. She carries to him the potion with which
she has hitherto prevented his dying, and always complains of
his never having spoken to her since he was wounded."

"Prince," said the sultan, "your condition can never be suf-
ficiently deplored : no one can be more sensibly affected by your
misfortune than I am. Never did anything so extraordinary befall
any man ! One thing only is wanting ; the revenge to which you
are entitled, and I will omit nothing in my power to effect it."

In his subsequent conversation with the young prince the
sultan told him who he was, and for what purpose he had entered
the castle; and afterward informed him of a mode of revenge
which he had devised. They agreed upon the measures they
were to take for accomplishing their design, but deferred the
execution of it till the following day. In the meantime, the night
being far spent, the sultan took some rest; but the young prince
passed the night as usual, without sleep, never having slept since
he was enchanted.

[ 74 ]

Wheti he came to this part of his narrative the young Una
could not restrain his tears.

THE YOUNG KING OF THE BLACK ISLES

Next morning the sultan arose with the dawn, and prepared
to execute his design, by proceeding to the Palace of Tears.
He found it lighted up with an infinite number of flambeaux of
white wax, and perfumed by a delicious scent issuing from
several censers of fine gold of admirable workmanship. As
soon as he perceived the bed where the Indian lay, he drew his
cimeter and deprived him of his wretched life, dragged his
corpse into the court of the castle, and threw it into a well.
After this he went and lay down in the black's bed, placed
his cimeter under the covering, and waited to complete his
design.

The queen arrived shortly after. She first went into the
chamber of her husband, the king of the Black Islands, stripped
him, and with unexampled barbarity gave him a hundred stripes.
The unfortunate prince filled the palace with his lamentations,
and conjured her in the most affecting tone to take pity on him;
but the cruel wretch ceased not till she had given the usual num-
ber of blows. **You had no compassion," said she, "and you
are to expect none from me."

After the enchantress had given her husband a hundred
blows with the whip, she put on again his covering ©f goat's
hair, and his brocade gown over all; she went afterward to the
Palace of Tears, and as she entered renewed her tears and
lamentations; then approaching the bed, where she thought the
Indian lay: "Alas!" said she, addressing herself to the sultan,
conceiving him to be the black, "My sun, my life, will you always
be silent ? Are you resolved to let me die without affording me
the comfort of hearing your voice?"

The sultan, as if he had awaked out of a deep sleep, and
counterfeiting the pronunciation of the blacks, answered the
queen with a grave tone: "There is no strength or power but in

[ 75 ]

THE ARABIAN NIGHTS

God alone, who is almighty." At these words the enchantress,
who did not expect them, uttered a loud exclamation of joy.
*'My dear lord," cried she, "do I not deceive myself; is it certain
that I hear you, and that you speak to me ? " " Unhappy woman,"
said the sultan, "art thou worthy that I should answer thee?"
"Alas!" replied the queen, "why do you reproach me thus?"
"The cries," returned the sultan, "the groans and tears of thy
husband, whom thou treatest every day with so much indignity
and barbarity, prevent my sleeping night or day. Hadst thou
disenchanted him, I should long since have been cured, and have
recovered the use of my speech. This is the cause of my silence,
of which you complain." "Well," said the enchantress, "to
pacify you, I am ready to execute your commands; would you
have me restore him?" "Yes," replied the sultan; "make
haste to set him at liberty, that I be no longer disturbed by his
lamentations." The enchantress went immediately out of the
Palace of Tears ; she took a cup of water, and pronounced some
words over it, which caused it to boil, as if it had been on the
fire. She afterward proceeded to the young king, and threw the
water upon him, saying: "If the Creator of all things did form
thee as thou art at present, or if He be angry with thee, do not
change; but if thou art in that condition merely by virtue of my
enchantments, resume thy natural shape, and become what thou
wast before." She had scarcely spoken these words when the
prince, finding himself restored to his former condition, rose up
and returned thanks to God. The enchantress then said to him,
"Get thee from this castle, and never return on pain of death."
The young king, yielding to necessity, went away without replying
a word, and retired to a remote place, where he patiently awaited
the event of the design which the sultan had so happily begun.
Meanwhile the enchantress returned to the Palace of Tears, and

[ 76 ]

THE YOUNG KING OF THE BLACK ISLES

supposing that she still spoke to the black, said, *'Dear love, I
have done what you required ; nothing now prevents your rising
and giving me the satisfaction of which I have so long been
deprived."

The sultan, still counterfeiting the pronunciation of the
black, said: "What you have now done is by no means sufficient
for my cure; you have only removed a part of the evil; you must
cut it up by the root." "My lovely black," resumed the queen,
*'what do you mean by the root ?'' "Wretched woman," replied
the sultan, "understand you not that I allude to the town and
its inhabitants, and the four islands, destroyed by thy enchant-
ments ? The fish every night at midnight raise their heads out
of the lake, and cry for vengeance against thee and me. This
is the true cause of the delay of my cure. Go speedily, restore
things to their former state, and at thy return I will give thee
my hand, and thou shalt help me to arise."

The enchantress, inspired with hope from these words, cried
out in a transport of joy, "My heart, my soul, you shall soon be
restored to your health, for I will immediately do as you command
me." Accordingly she went that instant, and when she came
to the brink of the lake she took a little water in her hand, and
sprinkling it, she pronounced some words over the fish and the
lake, and the city was immediately restored. The fish became
men, women, and children ; Mohammedans, Christians, Persians,
or Jews ; freemen or slaves, as they were before : every one having
recovered his natural form. The houses and shops were im-
mediately filled with their inhabitants, who found all things as
they were before the enchantment. The sultan's numerous
retinue, who found themselves encamped in the largest square,
were astonished to see themselves in an instant in the middle of
a large, handsome, well-peopled city.

[77 ]

THE ARABIAN NIGHTS

To return to the enchantress: As soon as she had effected
this wonderful change, she returned with all expedition to the
Palace of Tears, that she might receive her reward. "My dear
lord," cried she, as she entered, " I have done all that you required
of me, then pray rise and give me your hand." "Come near,"
said the sultan, still counterfeiting the pronunciation of the
black. She did so. "You are not near enough," he continued;
"approach nearer." She obeyed. He then rose up, and seizing
her by the arm so suddenly that she had not time to discover
him, he with a blow of his cimeter cut her in two, so that one half
fell one way and the other another. This done, he left the body
on the spot, and going out of the Palace of Tears, went to seek
the young king of the Black Isles, who waited for him with great
impatience. When he found him, "Prince," said he, embracing
him, "rejoice; you have now nothing to fear; your cruel enemy
is dead."

The young prince returned thanks to the sultan in a manner
that sufficiently evinced his gratitude, and in return wished him
long life and happiness. "You may henceforward," said the
sultan, "dwell peaceably in your capital, unless you will accom-
pany me to mine, which is near: you shall there be welcome,
and have as much honour shown you as if you were in your own
kingdom." "Potent monarch, to whom I am so much indebted,"
replied the king, "you think, then, that you are near your capital."
"Yes," said the sultan, "I know it is not above four or five hours*
journey." "It will take you a whole year to return," said the
prince. "I do indeed believe that you came hither from your
capital in the time you mention, because mine was enchanted;
but since the enchantment is taken off, things are changed:
however, this shall not prevent my following you, were it to the
utmost corners of the earth. You are my deliverer, and that I

[ 78 ]

THE YOUNG KING OF THE BLACK ISLES

may give you proofs of my acknowledgment of this during my
whole life, I am willing to accompany you, and to leave my
kingdom without regret."

The sultan was extremely surprised to understand that he
was so far from his dominions, and could not imagine how it
could be, but the young king of the Black Islands convinced him
beyond a possibility of doubt. Then the sultan replied: "It is
no matter; the trouble of returning to my own country is suffi-
ciently recompensed by the satisfaction of having obliged you,
and by acquiring you for a son ; for since you will do me the
honour to accompany me, as I have no child, I look upon you
as such, and from this moment appoint you my heir and
successor."

The young prince then employed himself in making prepara-
tions for his journey, which were finished in three weeks, to the
great regret of his court and subjects, who agreed to receive at
his hands one of his nearest kindred for their monarch.

At length the sultan and the young prince began their journey,
with a hundred camels laden with inestimable riches from the
treasury, followed by fifty handsome gentlemen on horseback,
perfectly well mounted and dressed. They had a pleasant jour-
ney; and when the sultan, who had sent couriers to give advice
of his delay, and of the adventure which had occasioned it,
approached his capital, the principal officers came to receive him,
and to assure him that his long absence had occasioned no alter-
ation in his empire. The inhabitants also came out in great
crowds, received him with acclamations, and made public rejoic-
ings for several days.

The day after his arrival the sultan acquainted his courtiers
with his adoption of the king of the Four Black Islands, who was
willing to leave a great kingdom to accompany and live with

[79]

THE ARABIAN NIGHTS

him ; and in reward for their loyalty, he made each of them pres-
ents according to their rank.

As for the fisherman, as he was the first cause of the deliver-
ance of the young prince, the sultan gave him a plentiful fortune,
which made him and his family happy the rest of his days.

[80]

THE STORY OF GULNARE OF THE SEA

THERE was, in olden time, and in an ancient age and
period, in the land of the Persians, a king named
Shahzeman, and the place of his residence was Khoras-
san. He had not been blest, during his whole life, with a male
child nor a female; and he reflected upon this, one day, and
lamented that the greater portion of his life had passed, and he
had no heir to take the kingdom after him as he had inherited
it from his fathers and forefathers. So the utmost grief befell
him on this account.

Now while he was sitting one day, one of his mamelukes
came in to him, and said to him: "O my lord, at the door is a
slave-girl with a merchant: none more beautiful than she hath
been seen." And he replied: "Bring to me the merchant and
the slave-girl." The merchant and the slave-girl therefore came
to him; and when he saw her, he found her to resemble the
lance in straightness and slenderness. She was wrapped in
a garment of silk embroidered with gold, and the merchant un-
covered her face, whereupon the place was illuminated by her
beauty, and there hung down from her forehead seven locks of
hair reaching to her anklets. The King, therefore, wondered
at the sight of her, and at her beauty, and her stature and just-
ness of form; and he said to the merchant: "O sheikh, for how
much is this damsel to be sold.^" The merchant answered:
'*0 my lord, I purchased her for two thousand pieces of gold of

[ 81 ]

THE ARABIAN NIGHTS

the merchant who owned her before me, and I have been for
three years travelhng with her, and she hath cost, to the period of
her arrival at this place, three thousand pieces of gold; and
she is a present from me unto thee." Upon this, the king con-
ferred upon him a magnificent robe of honour, and gave orders
to present him with ten thousand pieces of gold. So he took
them, and kissed the hands of the king, thanking him for his
beneficence, and departed. Then the king committed the
damsel to the tirewomen, saying to them: "Amend the state
of this damsel, and deck her, and furnish for her a private
chamber, and take her into it." He also gave orders to his
chamberlains that everything which she required should be con-
veyed to her. The seat of government where he resided was on
the shore of the sea, and his city was called the White City.
And they conducted the damsel into a private chamber, which
chamber had windows overlooking the sea; and the king com-
manded his chamberlains to close all the doors upon her after
taking to her all that she required.

The king then went in to visit the damsel ; but she rose not to
him, nor took any notice of him. So the king said: "It seemeth
that she hath been with people who have not taught her good
manners." And looking at the damsel, he saw her to be a person
surpassing in loveliness, her face was like the disk of the moon
at the full, or the shining sun in the clear sky; and he wondered
at her beauty, extolling the perfection of God, the Creator:
then the king advanced to the damsel, and seated himself by her
side, pressed her to his bosom, and kissed her lips, which he
found to be sweeter than honey. After this, he gave orders to
bring tables of the richest viands, comprising dishes of every
kind; and he ate, and put morsels into her mouth until she was
satisfied; but she spoke not a single word. The king talked to

[ 82 ]

GULNARE OF THE SEA

her, and inquired of her her name ; but she was silent, not utter-
ing a word, nor returning him an answer, ceasing not to hang
down her head toward the ground; and what protected her
from the anger of the king was her beauty, and her tenderness
of manner. So the king said within himself: ''Extolled be the
perfection of God, the Creator of this damsel! How elegant is
she, saving that she doth not speak!" — Then the king asked the
female slaves whether she had spoken; and they answered him.
*'From the time of her arrival to the present moment she hath
not spoken one word, and we have not heard her talk." The
king therefore caused some of them to come, and sing to her, and
make merry with her, thinking that then she might perhaps
speak. Accordingly the female slaves played before her with
all kinds of musical instruments, and enacted sports and other
performances, and they sang so that every one who was present
was moved with delight, except the damsel, who looked at them
and was silent, neither laughing nor speaking. So the heart of
the king was contracted. He however inclined to her entirely,
paying no regard to others, but relinquishing all the rest of his
favourites.

He remained with her a whole year, which seemed as one
day, and still she spoke not; and he said to her one day, when
his passion was excessive: "O desire of souls, verily the love that
I have for thee is great, and I have relinquished for thy sake all
my worldly portion, and been patient with thee a whole year.
I beg God that He will, in His grace, soften thy heart toward me,
and that thou mayest speak to me. Or, if thou be dumb, inform
me by a sign, that I may give up hope of thy speaking. I also
beg of God that He will bless thee with a son that may inherit my
kingdom after me ; for I am solitary, having none to be my heir,
and my age hath become great. I conjure thee, then, by Allah,

[83]

THE ARABIAN NIGHTS

if thou love me, that thou return me a reply." And upon this,
the damsel hung her head toward the ground, meditating. Then
she raised her head, and smiled in the face of the king, whereat
it appeared to the king that lightning filled the private chamber;
and she said: "O magnanimous King, God hath answered thy
prayer; for I am about to bring thee a child, and the time is
almost come. And were it not that I knew this thing, I had not
spoken to thee one word." And when the king heard what she
said, his face brightened up with happiness, and he kissed her
hands by reason of the violence of his joy, and said: "Praise
be to God who hath favoured me with things that I desired ; the
first, thy speaking; and the second, thy information that thou
art about to bring me a child." Then the king arose and went
forth from her, and seated himself upon the throne of his king-
dom in a state of exceeding happiness; and he ordered the
vizier to give out to the poor and the needy a hundred thousand
pieces of gold as a thank-offering to God. So the vizier did
as the king had commanded him. And after that, the king
went in to the damsel, and embraced her, saying to her: "O my
mistress, wherefore hath been this silence, seeing that thou hast
been with me a w^hole year, awake and asleep, yet hast not
spoken to me, except on this day ?"

The damsel answered: "Hear, O King of the age, and know
that I am a poor person, a stranger, broken-hearted: I have
become separated from my mother, and my family, and my
brother." And when the king heard her words, he knew her
desire, and he replied: "As to thy saying that thou art poor, there
is no occasion for such an assertion; for all my kingdom and
possessions are at thy service, and as to thy saying, 'I have be-
come separated from my mother and my family and my brother'
— ^inform me in what place they are, and I will send to them,

[ 84 ]

GULNARE OF THE SEA

and bring them to thee." So she said to him: "Know, O King,
that my name is Gulnare {Pomegranate Flower) of the Sea. My
father was one of the Kings of the Sea, and he died, and left to
us the kingdom; but while we were enjoying it, another of the
kings came upon us, and took the kingdom from our hands. I
have also a brother named Saleh, and my mother is of the women
of the sea; and I quarrelled with my brother, and swore that I
would throw myself into the hands of a man of the inhabitants of
the land. Accordingly I came forth from the sea, and sat upon
the shore of an island in the moonlight, and there passed by a
man who took me and sold me to this man from whom thou
tookest me, and he was an excellent, virtuous man, a person of
religion and fidelity and kindness. But had not thy heart loved
me, and hadst thou not preferred me above all thy wives, I had
not remained with thee one hour; for I should have cast myself
into the sea from this window, and gone to my mother and my
people. I was ashamed, however, to go to them ; for they would
imagine evil of me, and would not believe me, even though I
should swear to them, were I to tell them that a king had pur-
chased me with his money, and chosen me in preference to his
other wives and all that his right hand possessed. This is my
story, and peace be on thee!" And when he heard her words,
he thanked her, and kissed her between the eyes, and said to her:
"By Allah, O my mistress, and light of my eyes, I cannot endure
separation from thee for one hour ; and if thou quit me, I shall die
instantly. How then shall the affair he?" She answered: "O
my master, the time of the birth is near, and my family must
come." "And how," said the king, "do they walk in the sea
without being wetted.^" She answered: "We walk in the sea
as ye walk upon the land, through the influence of the names
engraved upon the seal of Solomon, the son of David, upon both

[85]

THE ARABIAN NIGHTS

of whom be peace! But, O King, when my family and my
brethren come, I will inform them that thou boughtest me with
thy money, and hast treated me with beneficence, and it will be
meet that thou confirm my assertion to them. They will also
see thy state with their eyes, and will know that thou art a king,
the son of a king." And thereupon the king said: "O my
mistress, do what seemeth fit to thee, and what thou wishest; for
I will comply with thy desire in all that thou wilt do." And the
damsel said: "Know, O King of the age, that we walk in the
sea with our eyes open, and see what is in it, and we see the sun,
and the moon, and the stars, and the sky as on the face of the
earth, and this hurteth us not. Know also, that in the sea are
many peoples and various forms of all the kinds that are on the
land; and know, moreover, that all that is on the land, in com-
parison with what is in the sea, is a very small matter." And
the king wondered at her words.

Then the damsel took a bit of aloes-wood and, having lighted
a fire in a perfuming- vessel, threw into it that bit, and she pro-
ceeded to speak words which no one understood; whereupon a
great smoke arose, while the king looked on. After this, she
said to the king: *'0 my lord, arise and conceal thyself in a
closet, that I may shew thee my brother and my mother and my
family without their seeing thee; for I desire to bring them, and
thou shalt see in this place, at this time, a wonder, and shalt
marvel at the various shapes and strange forms that God hath
created." So the king arose immediately, and entered a closet,
and looked to see what she would do. And she proceeded to
burn perfume and repeat spells until the sea foamed and was
agitated, and there came forth from it a young man of comely
form, of beautiful countenance, like the moon at the full, with
shining forehead, and red cheeks, and hair resembling pearls and

[86]

And she proceeded, to burn 'perjiiTftie and repeat spells until tJu:
sea foamed and was agitated

GULNARE OF THE SEA

jewels; he was, of all the creation, the most like to his sister, and
the tongue of the case itself seemed to recite in his praise these
verses : —

The moon becometh perfect once in each month; but the loveHness of thy face

is perfect every day.
Its abode is in the heart of one sign at a time; but thine abode is in all hearts
at once.

Afterward, there came forth from the sea a grizzly-haired old
woman, and with her five damsels, resembling moons and bear-
ing a likeness to the damsel whose name was Gulnare. Then
the king saw the young man and the old w oman and the damsels
walk upon the surface of the water until they came to Gulnare;
and when they drew near to the window, and she beheld them,
she rose to them and met them with joy. On their seeing her,
they knew her, and they went in to her and embraced her, weep-
ing violently; and they said to her: "O Gulnare, how is it that
thou leavest us for four years, and we know not the place in
which thou art? By x\llah, we had no delight in food nor in
drink a single day, weeping night and day on account of the
excess of our longing to see thee." Then the damsel began to
kiss the hand of her brother, and the hand of her mother, and so
also the hands of the daughters of her uncle, and they sat with
her awhile, asking her respecting her state, and the things that
had happened to her, and her present condition.

So she said to them: "Know ye, that when I quitted you, and
came forth from the sea, I sat upon the shore of an island, and a
man took me, and sold me to a merchant, and the merchant
brought me to this city, and sold me to its king for ten thousand
pieces of gold. Then he treated me with attention, and forsook
all his favourites for my sake, and was diverted by his regard for
me from everything that he possessed and what was in his city."

[ 87 ]

THE ARABIAN NIGHTS

And when her brother heard her words, he said: "Praise be to
God who hath reunited us ! But it Is my desire, O my sister, that
thou wouldst arise and go with us to our country and our fam-
ily.'* So when the king heard the words of her brother, his
reason fled In consequence of his fear lest the damsel should ac-
cept the proposal of her kindred, and he could not prevent her,
though he was Inflamed with love of her; wherefore he became
perplexed In violent fear of her separation. But as to the damsel
Gulnare, on hearing the words of her brother she said: "By
Allah, O my brother, the man who purchased me Is the king of
this city, and he Is a great king, and a man of wisdom, generous,
of the utmost liberality. He hath treated me with honour, and
he is a person of kindness, and of great wealth, but hath no male
child nor a female. He hath shewn me favour too, and acted well
to me in every respect; and from the day when I came to him to
the present time, I have not heard from him a word to grieve my
heart; but he hath not ceased to treat me with courtesy, and I
am living with him In the most perfect of enjoyments. More-
over, If I quitted him, he would perish: for he can never endure
my separation even for a single hour. I also. If I quitted him,
should die of my love for him in consequence of his kindness to
me during the period of my residence with him; for If my father
w^ere living, my condition with him would not be like my con-
dition with this great, glorious king. God (whose name be
exalted!) afflicted me not, but compensated me well; and as the
king hath not a male child nor a female, I beg God to bless me
with a son that may inherit of this great king these palaces and
possessions." And when her brother, and the daughters of her
uncle, heard her words, their eyes became cheerful thereat, and
they said to her: "O Gulnare, thou art acquainted with our af-
fection for thee, and thou art assured that thou art the dearest of

[ 88 ]

GULNARE OF THE SEA

all persons to us, and art certain that we desire for thee comfort,
without trouble or toil. Therefore if thou be not in a state of
comfort, arise and accompany us to our country and our family ;
but if thou be comfortable here, in honour and happiness, this is
our desire and wish." And Gulnare replied: **By Allah, I am
in a state of the utmost enjoyment, in honour and desirable
happiness." So when the king heard these words from her, he
rejoiced, and he thanked her for them ; his love for her penetrated
to his heart's core, and he knew that she loved him as he loved
her, and that she desired to remain with him to see his child which
she was to bring to him.

Then the damsel Gulnare of the Sea gave orders to the female
slaves to bring forward viands of all kinds ; and Gulnare herself
was the person who superintended the preparation of the viands
in the kitchen. So the female slaves brought to them the viands,
and the sweetmeats, and the fruits; and she ate with her family.
But afterward they said to her: *'0 Gulnare, thy master is a
man who is a stranger to us, and we have entered his abode w ith-
out his permission, and thou praisest to us his excellence, and hast
also brought to us his food, and we have eaten, but have not seen
him, nor hath he seen us, nor come into our presence, nor eaten
with us, that the bond of bread and salt might be established
between us." And they all desisted from eating, and were en-
raged at her, and fire began to issue from their mouths as from
cressets. So when the king beheld this, his reason fled, in con-
sequence of the violence of his fear of them. Then Gulnare
rose to them, and soothed their hearts; after which she walked
along until she entered the closet in which was the king her
master; and she said to him: "O my master, didst thou see, and
didst thou hear my thanks to thee, and my praise of thee in the
presence of my family; and didst thou hear what they said to

[ 89 ]

THE ARABIAN NIGHTS

me, that they desired to take me with them to our family and our
country?" The king answered her: "I heard and saw. May
God recompense thee! By Allah, I knew not the extent of the
love that thou feelest for me until this blessed hour." She re-
plied: "O my master, is the recompense of beneficence aught
but beneficence .^ How then could my heart be happy to quit
thee, and to depart from thee ? Now I desire of thy goodness
that thou come and salute my family, that they may see thee, and
that pleasure and mutual friendship may ensue. For know, O
King, that my brother and my mother and the daughters of my
uncle have conceived a great love for thee in consequence of my
praising thee to them, and they have said, 'We will not depart
from thee to our country until we have an interview with the
king, and salute him.' " And the king said to her: "I hear and
obey; for this is what I desire." He then rose from his place,
and went to them, and saluted them with the best salutation;
and they hastened to rise to him; they met him in the most
polite manner, and he sat with them in the pavilion, ate with
them at the table, and remained with them for a period of thirty
days. Then they desired to return to their country and abode.
So they took leave of the king and Queen Gulnare of the Sea,
and departed from them, after the king had treated them wuth
the utmost honour.

After this, Gulnare gave birth to a boy, resembling the
moon at the full, whereat the king experienced the utmost
happiness, because he had not before been blessed with a son
nor a daughter during his life. They continued the rejoicings,
and the decoration of the city, for a period of seven days, in the
utmost happiness and enjoyment; and on the seventh day, the
mother of Gulnare, and her brother, and the daughters of her
uncle, all came, when they knew that she had given birth to her

[90]

GULNARE OF THE SEA

child. The king met them, rejoicing at their arrival, and said
to them: "I said that I would not name my son until ye should
come, and that ye should name him according to your knowledge.'*
And they named him Bedr Basim (Smiling Full Moon), all of
them agreeing as to this name. They then presented the boy
to his maternal uncle, Saleh, who took him upon his hands, and,
rising with him from among them, walked about the palace to
the right and left; after which he went forth with him from the
palace, descended with him to the sea, and walked on until he
became concealed from the eye of the king. So when the king
saw that he had taken his son, and disappeared from him at the
bottom of the sea, he despaired of him, and began to weep and
wail. But Gulnare, seeing him in this state, said to him, "O
King of the age, fear not nor grieve for thy son; for I love my
child more than thou, and my child is with my brother ; therefore
fear not his being drowned. If my brother knew that any injury
would betide the little one, he had not done what he hath done;
and presently he will bring thee thy son safe, if it be the will of
God, whose name be exalted!" And but a short time had
elapsed when the sea was agitated, and the uncle of the little one
came forth from it, having with him the king's son safe, and he
flew from the sea until he came to them, with the little one in his
arms, silent, and his face resembling the moon in the night of its
fulness. Then the uncle of the little one looked toward the
king, and said to him: ''Perhaps thou fearedst some injury to
thy son when I descended into the sea, having him with me."
So he replied: "Yes, O my master, I feared for him, and I did
not imagine that he would ever come forth from it safe." And
Saleh said to him: *'0 King of the Land, we applied to his eyes
a lotion that we know, and repeated over him the names en-
graved upon the seal of Solomon, the son of David; for when a

[91 ]

THE ARABIAN NIGHTS

child is born among us, we do to him as I have told thee. Fear
not therefore, on his account, drowning, nor suffocation, nor all
the seas if he descend into them. Like as ye walk upon the
land, we walk in the sea."

He then took forth from his pocket a case, written upon, and
sealed; and he broke its seal, and scattered its contents, where-
upon there fell from it strung jewels, consisting of all kinds of
jacinths and other gems, together with three hundred oblong
emeralds, and three hundred oblong large jewels, of the size of
the eggs of the ostrich, the light of which was more resplendent
than the light of the sun and the moon. And he said : '* O King
of the age, these jewels and jacinths are a present from me unto
thee ; for w^e never brought thee a present, because we knew not
the place of Gulnare's abode. So when we saw thee to have
become united to her, and that we all had become one, we
brought thee this present; and after every period of a few days,
we will bring thee the like of it. For these jewels and jacinths
with us are more plentiful than the gravel upon the land, and we
know the excellent among them, and the bad, and the places
where they are found, and they are easy of access to us." — And
when the king looked at those jewels, his reason was confounded
and his mind was bewildered, and he said: "By Allah, one of
these jewels is worth my kingdom!" Then the king thanked
Saleh of the Sea for his generosity, and looking toward the
Queen Gulnare said to her: "I am abashed at thy brother; for
he hath shewn favour to me, and presented me with this magnifi-
cent present, which the people of the earth would fail to procure."
So Gulnare thanked her brother for that which he had done;
but her brother said: "O King of the age, to thank thee hath
been incumbent on us ; for thou hast treated my sister with benefi-
cence, and we have entered thine abode, and eaten of thy pro-

[ 92 ]

GULNARE OF THE SEA

vision." Then Saleh said: "If we stood serving thee,0 King of
the age, a thousand years, regarding nothing else, we could not
requite thee, and our doing so would be but a small thing in com-
parison with thy desert." And Saleh remained with the king, he
and his mother and the daughters of his uncle, forty days; after
which he arose and kissed the ground before the king, the
husband of his sister. So the king said to him: "What dost
thou desire, O Saleh ?" And he answered: "O King of the age,
we desire of thy goodness that thou wouldst give us permission
to depart; for we have become desirous of seeing again our
family and our country and our relations and our homes. We
wdll not, however, relinquish the service of thee, nor that of my
sister nor the son of my sister; and by Allah, O King of the age,
to quit you is not pleasant to my heart; but how can we act,
when we have been reared in the sea, and the land is not agree-
able to us.?" So when the king heard his words, he rose upon
his feet, and bade farewell to Saleh of the Sea and his mother
and the daughters of his uncle, and they wept together on ac-
count of the separation. Then they said to the king: "We will
never relinquish you, but after every period of a few days we will
visit you." And after this, they flew toward the sea, and de-
scended into it, and disappeared.

The king treated Gulnare with beneficence, and honoured
her exceedingly, and the little one grew up well; and his maternal
uncle, with his grandmother and the daughters of his uncle, after
every period of a few days used to come to the residence of the
king, and to remain with him a month, and then return to
their places. The boy ceased not to increase in beauty and
loveliness until his age became fifteen years; and he was incom-
parable in his perfect beauty, and his stature and his justness of
form. He had learned writing and reading, and history and

[ 93 ]

THE ARABIAN NIGHTS

grammar and philology, and archery; and he learned to play
with the spear; and he also learned horsemanship, and all that
the sons of the kings required. There was not one of the chil-
dren of the inhabitants of the city, men and women, that talked not
of the charms of that young man ; for he was of surpassing love-
liness and perfection; and the king loved him greatly. Then
the king summoned the vizier and the emeers, and the lords of
the empire, and the great men of the kingdom, and made them
swear by binding oaths that they would make Bedr Basim king
over them after his father; so they swore to him by binding
oaths, and rejoiced thereat; and the king himself was beneficent
to the people, courteous in speech and of auspicious aspect.
And on the following day, the king mounted, together with the
lords of the empire and all the emeers, and all the soldiers, and
they ceased not to proceed until they arrived at the vestibule of
the palace; the king's son riding. Thereupon he alighted, and
his father embraced him, he and the emeers, and they seated him
upon the throne of the kingdom, while his father stood, as also
did the emeers, before him. Then Bedr Basim judged the
people, displaced the tyrannical and invested the just, and con-
tinued to give judgment until near midday, when he rose from
the throne of the kingdom, and went in to his mother, Gulnare
of the Sea, having upon his head the crown, and resembling the
moon. So when his mother saw him, and the king before him,
she rose to him and kissed him, and congratulated him on his
elevation to the dignity of sultan; and she offered up a prayer
in favour of him and his father for length of life, and victory over
their enemies. He then sat with his mother and rested; and
when the time of afternoon-prayers arrived, he rode with the
emeers before him until he came to the horse-course, where
he played with arms till the time of nightfall, together with his

[ 94 ]

GULNARE OF THE SEA

father and the lords of his empire ; after which he returned to the
palace, with all the people before him. Every day he used to
ride to the horse-course; and when he returned, he sat to judge
the people, and administered justice between the emeer and the
poor man. He ceased not to do thus for a whole year ; and after
that, he used to ride to the chase, and go about through the cities
and provinces that were under his rule making proclamation of
safety and security, and doing as do the kings; and he was in-
comparable among the people of his age in glory and courage,
and in justice to the people.

Now it came to pass that the old king, the father of Bedr
Basim, fell sick one day, whereupon his heart throbbed, and he
felt that he was about to be removed to the mansion of eternity.
Then his malady increased so that he was at the point of death.
He therefore summoned his son, and charged him to take care of
his subjects and his mother and all the lords of his empire and all
the dependants. He also made them swear, and covenanted
with them a second time, that they would obey his son; and he
confided in their oaths. And after this he remained a few days,
and was admitted to the mercy of God, whose name be exalted!
His son Bedr Basim, and his wife Gulnare and the emeers and
viziers and the lords of the empire, mourned over him ; and they
made for him a tomb, and buried him in it, and continued the
ceremonies of mourning for him a whole month. Saleh, the
brother of Gulnare, and her mother, and the daughters of her
uncle, also came, and consoled them for the loss of the king;
and they said: *'0 Gulnare, if the king hath died, he hath left
this ingenuous youth, and he who hath left such as he is hath not
died. This is he who hath not an equal, the crushing lion, and
the splendid moon." Then the lords of the empire, and the
grandees, went in to the King Bedr Basim, and said to him: "O

[ 95 ]

THE ARABIAN NIGHTS

King, there is no harm in mourning for the king; but mourning
becometh not any save women; therefore trouble not thy heart
and ours by mourning for thy father; for he hath died and left
thee, and he who hath left such as thou art hath not died." They
proceeded to address him with soft words, and to console him,
and after that they conducted him into the bath; and when he
came forth from the bath, he put on a magnificent suit woven of
gold, adorned with jewels and jacinths, and he put the royal
crown upon his head, seated himself upon the throne of his king-
dom, and performed the affairs of the people, deciding equitably
between the strong and the weak, and exacting for the poor man
his due from the emeer; wherefore the people loved him exceed-
ingly. Thus he continued to do for the space of a whole year;
and after every short period, his family of the sea visited him;
so his life was pleasant, and his eye was cheerful : and he ceased
not to live in this state until he was visited by the terminator of
delights and the separator of companions. This is the end of
their story. The mercy of God be on them all !

[ 96]

THE STORY OF ALADDIN; OR, THE
WONDERFUL LAMP

IN the capital of one of the large and rich provinces of the
kingdom of China there lived a tailor, named Mustapha,
who was so poor that he could hardly, by his daily labour,
maintain himself and his family, which consisted of a wife and
son.

His son, who was called Aladdin, had been brought up in a
very careless and idle manner, and by that means had contracted
many vicious habits. He was obstinate, and disobedient to his
father and mother, who, when he grew up, could not keep him
within doors. He was in the habit of going out early in the
morning, and would stay out all day, playing in the streets with
idle children of his own age.

When he was old enough to learn a trade, his father, not
being able to put him out to any other, took him into his own
shop, and taught him how to use his needle: but neither fair
words nor the fear of chastisement were capable of fixing his
lively genius. All his father's endeavours to keep him to his work
were in vain; for no sooner was his back turned, than he was
gone for that day. Mustapha chastised him, but Aladdin was
incorrigible, and his father, to his great grief, was forced to
abandon him to his idleness: and was so much troubled at not
being able to reclaim him, that it threw him into a fit of sickness,
of which he died in a few months.

[97]

THE ARABIAN NIGHTS

The mother, finding that her son would not follow his father's
business, shut up the shop, sold off the implements of trade, and
with the money she received for them, and what she could get by
spinning cotton, thought to maintain herself and her son.

Aladdin, who was now no longer restrained by the fear of a
father, and who cared so little for his mother that whenever she
chid him he would abuse her, gave himself entirely over to his
idle habits, and was never out of the streets from his companions.
This course he followed till he was fifteen years old, without giving
his mind to any useful pursuit, or the least reflection on what
would become of him. In this situation, as he was one day
playing with his vagabond associates, a stranger passing by stood
to observe him.

This stranger was a sorcerer, called the African magician;
as he was a native of Africa, and had been but two days arrived
from thence.

The African magician, who was a good physiognomist,
observing in Aladdin's countenance something absolutely neces-
sary for the execution of the design he was engaged in, inquired
artfully about his family, who he was, and what were his inclina-
tions; and when he had learned all he desired to know, went up
to him, and taking him aside from his comrades, said: "Child,
was not your father' called Mustapha, the tailor.^" "Yes, sir,"
answered the boy; "but he has been dead a long time."

At these words, the African magician threw his arms about
Aladdin's neck, and kissed him several times with tears in his
eyes. Aladdin, who observed his tears, asked him what made
him weep. "Alas! my son," cried the African magician with
a sigh, "how can I forbear.^ I am your uncle; your worthy
father was my own brother. I have been many years abroad,
and now I am come home with the hopes of seeing him, you tell

[ 98 ]

ALADDIN

me he is dead. But it is some relief to my affliction, that I
knew you at first sight, you are so like him." Then he asked
Aladdin, putting his hand into his purse, where his mother lived,
and as soon as he had informed him, gave him a handful of small
money, saying: "Go, my son, to your mother, give my love to
her, and tell her that I will visit her to-morrow, that I may have
the satisfaction of seeing where my good brother lived so long."

As soon as the African magician left his newly-adopted nephew,
Aladdin ran to his mother, overjoyed at the money his uncle had
given him. "Mother," said he, "have I an uncle .^" "No,
child," replied his mother, "you have no uncle by your father's
side, or mine." "I am just now come," said Aladdin, "from
a man who says he is my uncle on my father's side. He cried
and kissed me when I told him my father was dead ; and to show
you that what I tell you is truth," added he, pulling out the
money, "see what he has given me; he charged me to give his
love to you, and to tell you that to-morrow he will come and pay
you a visit, that he may see the house my father lived and died
in." "Indeed, child," replied the mother, "your father had a
brother, but he has been dead a long time, and I never heard of
another."

The mother and son talked no more then of the African
magician; but the next day Aladdin's uncle found him playing
in another part of the town with other youths, and embracing
him as before, put two pieces of gold into his hand, and said to
him: "Carry this, child, to your mother, tell her that I will come
and see her to-night, and bid her get us something for supper;
but first show me the house where you live."

After Aladdin had showed the African magician the house,
he carried the two pieces of gold to his mother, and when he had
told her of his uncle's intention, she went out and bought pro-

[ 99 ]

THE ARABIAN NIGHTS

visions. She spent the whole day in preparing the supper ; and
at night, when it was ready, said to her son: "Perhaps your uncle
knows not how to find our house ; go and bring him if you meet
with him."

Though Aladdin had showed the magician the house, he was
ready to go, when somebody knocked at the door, which he im-
mediately opened; and the magician came in loaded with wine,
and all sorts of fruits, which he brought for a dessert.

After the African magician had given what he brought into
Aladdin's hands, he saluted his mother, and desired her to shew
him the place where his brother Mustapha used to sit on the sofa ;
and when she had so done, he fell down and kissed it several times,
crying out with tears in his eyes: "My poor brother! how un-
happy am I, not to have come soon enough to give you one last
embrace." Aladdin's mother desired him to sit down in the
same place, but he declined. "No," said he, "but give me leave
to sit opposite, that although I am deprived of the satisfaction of
seeing one so dear to me, I may at least have the pleasure of
beholding the place where he used to sit."

When the magician had sat down, he began to enter into dis-
course with Aladdin's mother: "My good sister," said he, "do
not be surprised at your never having seen me all the time you
were married to my brother Mustapha. I have been forty years
absent from this country, which is my native place, as well as my
late brother's; and during that time have travelled into the Indies,
Persia, Arabia, Syria, and Egypt ; have resided in the finest towns
of those countries ; and afterward crossed over into Africa, where
I made a longer stay. At last, as it is natural for a man to re-
member his native country, I was desirous to see mine again,
and to embrace my dear brother; and finding I had strength
enough to undertake so long a journey, I immediately made the

[ 100 ]

ALADDIN

necessary preparations, and set out. I will not tell you the length
of time it took me, all the obstacles I met with, and what fatigues
I have endured to come hither; but nothing ever afflicted me so
much, as hearing of my brother's death. I observed his features
in the face of my nephew, your son, and distinguished him among
a number of lads w ith whom he was at play ; he can tell you how
I received the most melancholy news that ever reached my ears.
But God be praised for all things ! it is a comfort for me to find, as it
were, my brother in a son, who has his most remarkable features."

The African magician, perceiving that the widow began to
weep at the remembrance of her husband, changed the conversa-
tion, and turning toward her son, asked him his name. *'I am
called Aladdin," said he. " Well, Aladdin," replied the magician,
*' what business do you follow ? Are you of any trade .^"

At this question the youth hung down his head, and was not
a little abashed when his mother answered: "Aladdin is an idle
fellow; his father, when alive, strove all he could to teach him
his trade, but could not succeed; and since his death he does
nothing but idle away his time in the slreets, as you saw him,
without considering he is no longer a child; and if you do not
make him ashamed of it, I despair of his ever coming to any
good. He knows that his father left him no fortune, and sees
me endeavour to get bread by spinning cotton; for my part, I
am resolved one of these days to turn him out of doors, and let
him provide for himself."

After these words, Aladdin's mother burst into tears ; and the
magician said: **This is not well, nephew; you must think of
getting your livelihood. There are many sorts of trades, consider
if you have not an inclination to some of them ; perhaps you did
not like your father's and would prefer another; come, do not
disguise your sentiments from me; I will endeavour to help you.'*

[ 101 ]

THE ARABIAN NIGHTS

But finding that Aladdin returned no answer, "If you have no
mind," continued he, "to learn any handicraft, I will take a
shop for you, furnish it with all sorts of fine stuffs and liiiens;
and with the money you make of them lay in fresh goods, and
then you will live in an honourable way. Consult your inclina-
tion, and tell me freely what you think of my proposal."

This plan greatly flattered Aladdin, who hated work but had
sense enough to know that such shops were much frequented
and the owners respected. He told the magician he had a greater
inclination to that business than to any other, and that he should
be much obliged to him for his kindness. "Since this profession
is agreeable to you," said the African magician, "I will carry you
with me to-morrow, clothe you as handsomely as the best mer-
chants in the city, and afterward we will think of opening a
shop as I mentioned."

The widow, who never till then could believe that the magician
was her husband's brother, no longer doubted after his promises
of kindness to her son. She thanked him for his good intentions;
and after having exhort'ed Aladdin to render himself worthy of
his uncle's favour by good behaviour, served up supper, at which
they talked of several indifferent matters; and then the magician,
who saw that the night was pretty far advanced, took his leave,
and retired.

He came again the next day, as he had promised, and took
Aladdin with him to a merchant, who sold all sorts of clothes
for different ages and ranks ready made, and a variety of fine
stuffs. He asked to see some that suited Aladdin in size; and
Aladdin, charmed with the liberality of his new uncle, made
choice of one, and the magician immediately paid for it.

When the boy found himself so handsomely equipped, he
returned his uncle thanks; who promised never to forsake him,

[ 102 ]

ALADDIN

but always to take him along with him ; which he did to the most
frequented places in the city, and particularly where the principal
merchants kept their shops. When he brought him into the street
where they sold the richest stuffs and finest linens, he said to
Aladdin: "As you are soon to be a merchant, it is proper you
should frequent these shops, and be acquainted with them."
He then showed him the largest and finest mosques, carried him
to the khans or inns where the merchants and travellers lodged,
and afterward to the sultan's palace, where he had free access;
and at last brought him to his own khan,where, meeting with some
merchants he had become acquainted with since his arrival, he
gave them a treat, to bring them and his pretended nephew
acquainted.

This entertainment lasted till night, when Aladdin would
have taken leave of his uncle to go home, but the magician would
not let him go by himself, but conducted him to his mother, who,
as soon as she saw him so well dressed, was transported with
joy, and bestowed a thousand blessings upon the magician, for
being at so great an expense for her child. " Generous relation ! "
said she, "I know not how to thank you for your liberality! I
wish you may live long enough to witness my son's gratitude,
which he cannot better shew than by regulating his conduct by
your good advice."

*' Aladdin," replied the magician, "is a good boy, and I
believe we shall do very well ; but I am sorry for one thing, which
is, that I cannot perform to-morrow what I promised, because,
as it is Friday, the shops will be shut up, and therefore we cannot
hire or furnish one till Saturday. I will, however, call on him
to-morrow and take him to walk in the gardens, where people
of the best fashion generally resort. Perhaps he has never seen
these amusements, he has only hitherto been among children;

[ 103 ]

THE ARABIAN NIGHTS

but now he must see men." The African magician then took his
leave of the mother and the son, and retired.

Aladdin rose early the next morning, dressed himself to be
ready, and after he had waited some time began to be impatient
and stood watching at the door ; but as soon as he perceived his
uncle coming, he told his mother, took his leave of her, and ran to
meet him.

The magician caressed Aladdin, and said: "Come, my dear
child, and I will shew you fine things." He then led him out at
one of the gates of the city, to some magnificent palaces, to each
of which belonged beautiful gardens, into which anybody might
enter. At every building he came to, he asked Aladdin if he did
not think it fine; and the youth was ready to answer when any
one presented itself, crying out: "Here is a finer house, uncle, than
any we have seen yet." By this artifice, the cunning magician
led Aladdin some way into the country; and as he meant to
carry him farther, pretending to be tired, he took an opportunity
to sit down in one of the gardens on the brink of a fountain of
clear water, which discharged itself by a lion's mouth of bronze
into a basin: "Come, nephew," said he, "you must be weary as
well as I; let us rest ourselves, and we shall be better able to
pursue our walk."

After they had sat down, the magician pulled from his girdle
a handkerchief with cakes and fruit, which he had provided, and
laid them on the edge of the basin. He broke a cake in two,
gave one half to Aladdin and ate the other himself; and in regard
to the fruit, left him at liberty to take which sort he liked best.
During this short repast, he exhorted his nephew to leave off
keeping company with vagabonds, and seek that of wise and
prudent men, to improve by their conversation; "For," said he,
"you will soon be at man's estate, and you cannot too early

[ 104 ]

ALADDIN

begin to imitate their example." When they had eaten as much
as they Hked, they pursued their walk through gardens separated
from one another only by small ditches, which marked out the
limits without interrupting the communication ; so great was the
confidence the inhabitants reposed in each other. By this means,
the African magician drew Aladdin insensibly beyond the gardens,
and crossed the country, till they nearly reached the mountains.

Aladdin, who had never been so far before, began to find
himself much tired, and said to the magician: *' Where are we
going, uncle ? We have left the gardens a great way behind us,
and I see nothing but mountains ; if we go much farther, I do not
know whether I shall be able to reach the town again!" "Never
fear, nephew," said the false uncle; '*I will shew you another
garden which surpasses all we have yet seen ; and when we come
there, you will say that you would have been sorry to have been
so nigh, and not seen it." Aladdin was soon persuaded; and the
magician, to make the way seem shorter and less fatiguing, told
him a great many stories.

At last they arrived between two mountains of moderate
height, and equal size, divided by a narrow valley, which was the
place where the magician intended to execute the design that had
brought him from Africa to China. *' We will go no farther now,"
said he to Aladdin: '*I will shew you here some extraordinary
things, which, when you have seen, you will thank me for: but
while I strike a light, gather up all the loose dry sticks you can
see, to kindle a fire with."

Aladdin collected a great heap and the magician presently
set them on fire, and when they were in a blaze, threw in some
incense which raised a cloud of smoke. This he dispersed on
each side, by pronouncing several magical words which the lad
did not understand.

[ 105 ]

THE ARABIAN NIGHTS

At the same time the earth, trembHng, opened just before the
magician, and uncovered a stone, laid horizontally, with a brass
ring fixed into the middle. Aladdin was so frightened at what
he saw, that he would have run away; but the magician caught
hold of him, abused him, and gave him such a box on the ear that
he knocked him down. Aladdin got up trembling, and with tears
in his eyes, said to the magician: *' What have I done, uncle, to be
treated in this severe manner ?" "I have my reasons," answered
the magician; "I am your uncle, I supply the place of your father,
and you ought to make no reply. But, child," added he, soften-
ing, "do not be afraid; for I shall not ask anything of you, but
that you obey me punctually, if you would reap the advantages
which I intend you." These fair promises calmed Aladdin's
fears and resentment; and when the magician saw that he was
appeased, he said to him: "You see what I have done by virtue
of my incense, and the words I pronounced. Know then, that
under this stone there is hidden a treasure, destined to be yours,
and which will make you richer than the greatest monarch in the
world: no person but yourself is permitted to lift this stone, or
enter the cave; so you must punctually execute what I may
command, for it is a matter of great consequence both to you
and me."

Aladdin, amazed at all he saw and heard the magician say of
the treasure which was to make him happy forevermore, forgot
what was past, and rising, said: "Well, uncle, w^hat is to be done ?
Command me, I am ready to obey." "I am overjoyed, child,"
said the African magician, embracing him; "take hold of the
ring, and lift up that stone." "Indeed, uncle," replied Aladdin,
"I am not strong enough; you must help me." "You have no
occasion for my assistance," answered the magician; "if I help
you, we shall be able to do nothing; take hold of the ring,

[ 106 ]

At the same time the earth, tremhling, opened just before the
magician, and uncovered a stone, laid horizontally, with
a brass ring fixed into the middle.

ALADDIN

pronounce the names of your father and grandfather, then lift
it up, and you will find it will come easily." Aladdin did as the
magician bade him, raised the stone with ease, and laid it on one
side.

When the stone was pulled up, there appeared a cavity of
about three or four feet deep, with a little door, and steps to go
down lower. ''Observe, my son," said the African magician,
"what I direct. Descend into the cave, and when you are at the
bottom of those steps you will find a door which will lead you into
a spacious vault, divided into three great halls, in each of which
you will see four large brass cisterns placed on each side, full of
gold and silver; but take care you do not meddle with them.
Before you enter the first hall, be sure to tuck up your vest, wrap
it about you, and then pass through the second into the third
without stopping. Above all, have a care that you do not touch
the walls ; for if you do, you will die instantly. At the end of the
third hall, you will find a door which opens into a garden planted
with fine trees loaded with fruit; walk directly across the garden
by a path which will lead you to five steps that will bring you upon
a terrace, where you will see a niche before you, and in that niche
a lighted lamp. Take the lamp down, and extinguish it: when
you have thrown away the wick, and poured out the liquor, put
it in your vestband and bring it to me. Do not be afraid that the
liquor will spoil your clothes, for it is not oil; and the lamp will
be dry as soon as it is thrown out. If you should wish for any
of the fruit of the garden, you may gather as much as you please."

After these words, the magician drew a ring off his finger,
and put it on one of Aladdin's, telling him that it was a preserva-
tive against all evil, while he should observe what he had pre-
scribed to him. After this instruction he said: "Go down boldly,
child, and we shall both be rich all our lives."

[ 107 ]

THE ARABIAN NIGHTS

Aladdin jumped into the cave, descended the steps, and found
the three halls just as the African magician had described. He
went through them with all the precaution the fear of death could
inspire; crossed the garden without stopping, took down the
lamp from the niche, threw out the wick and the liquor, and, as
the magician had desired, put it in his vestband. But as he came
down from the terrace, he stopped in the garden to observe the
fruit, which he only had a glimpse of in crossing it. All the trees
were loaded with extraordinary fruit, of different colours on each
tree. Some bore fruit entirely white, and some clear and trans-
parent as crystal ; some pale red, and others deeper; some green,
blue, and purple, and others yellow : in short, there was fruit of
all colours. The white were pearls; the clear and transparent,
diamonds; the deep red, rubies; the green, emeralds; the blue,
turquoises ; the purple, amethysts ; and those that were of yellow
cast, sapphires. Aladdin was altogether ignorant of their worth,
and would have preferred figs and grapes, or any other fruits.
But though he took them only for coloured glass of little value,
yet he was so pleased with the variety of the colours, and the
beauty and extraordinary size of the seeming fruit, that he re-
solved to gather some of every sort ; and accordingly filled the two
new purses his uncle had bought for him with his clothes. Some
he wrapped up in the skirts of his vest, which was of silk, large
and full, and he crammed his bosom as full as it could hold.

Aladdin, having thus loaded himself with riches, returned
through the three halls with the same precaution, made all the
haste he could, that he might not make his uncle wait, and soon
arrived at the mouth of the cave, where the African magician
expected him with the utmost impatience. As soon as Aladdin
saw him, he cried out: "Pray, uncle, lend me your hand, to help
me out." "Give me the lamp first/* replied the magician; **it

[ 108 ]

ALADDIN

will be troublesome to you." "Indeed, uncle," answered
Aladdin, "I cannot now; it is not troublesome to me: but I will
as soon as I am up." The African magician was so obstinate,
that he would have the lamp before he would help him up; and
Aladdin, who had encumbered himself so much with his fruit
that he could not well get at it, refused to give it to him till he was
out of the cave. The African magician, provoked at this obstinate
refusal, flew into a passion, threw a little of his incense into the
fire, which he had taken care to keep in, and no sooner pronounced
two magical words, than the stone which had closed the mouth
of the cave moved into its place, with the earth over it in the same
manner as it lay at the arrival of the magician and Aladdin.

This action of the African magician's plainly shewed him to
be neither Aladdin's uncle, nor Mustapha the tailor's brother;
but a true African. Africa is a country whose inhabitants delight
most in magic of any in the whole world, and he had applied
himself to it from his youth. After forty years' experience in
enchantments and reading of magic books, he had found out that
there was in the world a wonderful lamp, the possession of which
would render him more powerful than any monarch; and by
a late operation of geomancy, he had discovered that this lamp
lay concealed in a subterranean place in the midst of China.
Fully persuaded of the truth of this discovery, he set out from
the farthest part of Africa; and after a long and fatiguing journey
came to the town nearest to this treasure. But though he had a
certain knowledge of the place where the lamp was, he was not
permitted to take it himself, nor to enter the subterranean place,
but must receive it from the hands of another person. For this
reason he had addressed himself to Aladdin, whom he looked
upon as a lad fit to serve his purpose, resolving, as soon as he
should get the lamp into his hands, to sacrifice him to his avarice

[ 109 ]

THE ARABIAN NIGHTS

and wickedness, by making the fumigation mentioned before,
and repeating two magical words, the effect of which would re-
move the stone into its place, so that no witness would remain
of the transaction.

The blow he had given Aladdin was intended to make him
obey the more readily, and give him the lamp as soon as he should
ask for it. But his too great precipitation, and his fear lest some-
body should come that way and discover w^hat he wished to keep
secret, produced an effect quite contrary to what he had proposed.

When the African magician saw that all his hopes were
frustrated forever, he returned the same day for Africa ; but went
quite round the tow^n, and at some distance from it, lest some
persons who had observed him walk out with the boy, on seeing
him come back without him, should entertain suspicions, and
stop him.

According to all appearances, there was no prospect of Aladdin
being heard of any more. But the magician, when he had con-
trived his death, forgot the ring he had put upon his finger, which
preserved him, though he knew not its virtue. It may seem
astonishing that the loss of that, together with the lamp, did not
drive the magician to despair ; but magicians are so much used to
misfortunes that they do not lay them to heart, but still feed
themselves, to the end of life, with unsubstantial notions and
chimeras.

The surprise of Aladdin, who had never suspected this
treachery from his pretended uncle, is more easily to be imagined
than expressed. When he found himself buried alive, he cried,
and called out to his uncle, to tell him he was ready to give him
the lamp; but in vain, since his cries could not be heard. He
descended to the bottom of the steps, with a design to get into
the garden, but the door, which was opened before by enchant-

[ 110 ]

ALADDIN

ment, was now shut by the same means. He then redoubled his
cries, sat down on the steps, without any hopes of ever seeing
light again, and in a melancholy certainty of passing from the
present darkness into that of a speedy death.

Aladdin remained in this state two days, without eating or
drinking, and on the third looked upon death as inevitable.
Clasping his hands with resignation to the will of God, he said:
*' There is no strength or power but in the great and high God."
In joining his hands he rubbed the ring which the magician had
put on his finger, and of which he knew not yet the virtue.
Immediately a genie of enormous size and frightful aspect rose
out of the earth, his head reaching the roof of the vault, and said
to him: "What wouldst thou have ? I am ready to obey thee as
the slave of all who may possess the ring on thy finger ; I, and the
other slaves of that ring."

At another time, Aladdin, who had not been used to such
appearances, would have been so frightened at the sight of so
extraordinary a figure that he would not have been able to speak;
but the danger he was in made him answer without hesitation:
*' Whoever thou art, deliver me from this place, if thou art able."
He had no sooner spoken these words, than he found himself on
the very spot where the magician had caused the earth to open.

It was some time before his eyes could bear the light, after
being so long in total darkness: but after he had endeavoured
by degrees to support it, and began to look about him, he was
much surprised not to find the earth open, and could not com-
prehend how he had got so soon out of its bowels. There was
nothing to be seen but the place where the fire had been, by
which he could nearly judge the situation of the cave. Then
turning himself toward the town, he perceived it at a distance in
the midst of the gardens that surrounded it, and saw the way by

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which the magician had brought him. Returning God thanks
to find himself once more in the world, he made the best of his
way home. When he got within his mother's door, the joy of
seeing her and his weakness for want of food for three days made
him faint, and he remained for a long time as dead. His mother,
who had given him over for lost, seeing him in this condition,
omitted nothing to bring him to himself. As soon as he recovered,
the first words he spoke were: "Pray, mother, give me something
to eat, for I have not put a morsel of anything into my mouth
these three days." His mother brought what she had, and set it
before him. "My son," said she, "be not too eager, for it is
dangerous; eat but little at a time, and take care of yourself.
Besides, I would not have you talk; you will have time enough
to tell me what has happened to you when you are recovered.
It is a great comfort to me to see you again, after the affliction
I have been in since Friday, and the pains I have taken to learn
what was become of you."

Aladdin took his mother's advice, and ate and drank moder-
ately. When he had done, "Mother," said he to her, "I cannot
help complaining of you, for abandoning me so easily to the
discretion of a man who had a design to kill me, and who at this
very moment thinks my death certain. You believed he was my
uncle, as well as I ; and what other thoughts could we entertain
of a man who was so kind to me ? but I must tell you, mother,
he is a rogue and a cheat, and only made me those promises to
accomplish my death ; but for what reason neither you nor I can
guess. You shall judge yourself, when you have heard all that
passed from the time I left you, till he came to the execution of
his wicked design."

Aladdin then related to his mother all that had happened to
him, from the Friday when the magician took him to see the

[ 112 ]

ALADDIN

palaces and gardens about the town, till they came to the place
between the two mountains where the great deed was to be
performed; how, with incense which the magician threw into
the fire, and some magical words which he pronounced, the earth
opened, and discovered a cave, which led to an inestimable
treasure. He did not forget the blow the magician had given
him, and in what manner he softened again, and engaged him
by great promises, and putting a ring on his finger, to go
down into the cave. He did not omit the least circumstance of
what he saw in crossing the three halls and the garden, and his
taking the lamp, which he pulled out of his bosom and shewed
to his mother : as well as the transparent fruit of different colours,
which he had gathered in the garden as he returned. But,
though these fruits were precious stones, brilliant as the sun, she
was as ignorant of their worth as her son. She had been bred
in a low rank of life, and her husband's poverty prevented his
being possessed of jewels, nor had she, her relations, or neighbours
ever seen any; so that we must not wonder that she regarded
them as things of no value.

Aladdin put them behind one of the cushions of the sofa, and
continued his story. When he had come to an end, Aladdin said
to his mother: "I need say no more! this is my adventure, and
the dangers I have been exposed to since you saw me."

His mother heard with much interest this surprising relation,
notwithstanding it could be no small affliction to a mother who
loved her son tenderly; but yet in the most moving part, which
discovered the perfidy of the African magician, she could not help
showing, by marks of the greatest indignation, how much she
detested him ; and when her son had finished his story, she broke
out into a thousand reproaches against that vile impostor. She
called him perfidious traitor, barbarian, assassin, deceiver,

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THE ARABIAN NIGHTS

magician, and an enemy and destroyer of mankind. "Without
doubt, child," added she, "he is a magician, and they are plagues
to the world, and by their enchantments and sorceries have
commerce with the devil. Bless God for preserving you from
his wicked designs; for your death would have been inevitable,
if you had not called upon Him, and implored His assistance."
She said a great deal more against the magician's treachery;
but finding that whilst she talked, Aladdin began to doze, she
left him to his repose, and retired.

Aladdin, who had not closed his eyes while he was in the
subterranean abode, slept very soundly till late the next morning;
when the first thing he said to his mother was, that he wanted
something to eat, and that she could not do him a greater kind-
ness than to give him his breakfast. "Alas! child," said she, "I
have not a bit of bread to give you, you ate up all the provisions
I had in the house yesterday; but have a little patience, and it
shall not be long before I will bring you some: I have a little
cotton, which I have spun; I will go and sell it, buy bread, and
something for our dinner." "^Mother," replied Aladdin, "keep
your cotton for another time, and give me the lamp I brought
home with me yesterday; I will go and sell it, and the money I
shall get for it will serve both for breakfast and dinner, and per-
haps supper too."

Aladdin's mother took the lamp, and said to her son: "Here it
is, but it is very dirty ; if it was a little cleaner I believe it would
bring something more." She took some fine sand and water to
clean it; but had no sooner begun to rub it, than in an instant a
hideous genie of gigantic size appeared before her, and said to
her in a voice like thunder: "What wouldst thou have? I am
ready to obey thee as thy slave, and the slave of all those who have
that lamp in their hands; I and the other slaves of the lamp."

[ 114 ]

ALADDIN

Aladdin's mother, terrified at the sight of the genie, fainted;
when the lad, who had seen such another phantom in the cavern,
snatched the lamp out of his mother's hand, and said to the genie
boldly: "I am hungry, bring me something to eat." The genie
disappeared immediately, and in an instant returned with a large
silver tray, holding twelve covered dishes of the same metal,
which contained the most delicious viands; six large white
bread-cakes on two plates, two flagons of wine, and two silver
cups. All these he placed upon a carpet, and disappeared: this
was done before Aladdin's mother recovered from her swoon.

Aladdin fetched some water, and sprinkled it in her face, to
recover her: whether that or the smell of the meat brought her
to life again, it was not long before she came to herself.
"Mother," said Aladdin, "do not mind this; here is what will
put you in heart, and at the same time satisfy my extreme hunger :
do not let such delicious meat get cold."

His mother was much surprised to see the great tray, twelve
dishes, six loaves, the two flagons and cups, and to smell the
savoury odour which exhaled from the dishes. "Child," said
she, "to whom are we obliged for this great plenty and liberality;
has the sultan been made acquainted with our poverty, and had
compassion on us.?" "It is no matter, mother," said Aladdin;
"let us sit down and eat, for you have almost as much need of
breakfast as myself; when we have done, I will tell you." Ac-
cordingly, both mother and son sat down, and ate with the better
rehsh as the table was so well furnished. But all the time Alad-
din's mother could not forbear looking at and admiring the dishes,
though she could not judge whether they were silver or any other
metal, and the novelty more than the value attracted her attention.

The mother and son sat at breakfast till it was dinner-time,
and then they thought it would be best to put the two meals

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THE ARABIAN NIGHTS

together; yet after this they found they should have enough left
for supper, and two meals for the next day.

When Aladdin's mother had taken away what was left, she
went and sat by her son on the sofa, saying: "I expect now
that you should satisfy my impatience, and tell me exactly what
passed between the genie and you while I was in a swoon;" which
he readily complied with.

She was in as great amazement at what her son told her, as at
the appearance of the genie; and said to him: "But, son, what
have we to do with genies ? I never heard that any of my ac-
quaintance had ever seen one. How came that vile genie to
address himself to me, and not to you, to whom he had appeared
before in the cave.?" "Mother," answered Aladdin, "the
genie you saw is not the one who appeared to me, though he re-
sembles him in size; no, they had quite different persons and
habits; they belong to different masters. If you remember, he
that I first saw called himself the slave of the ring on my finger;
and this you saw, called himself the slave of the lamp you had
in your hand: but I believe you did not hear him, for I think you
fainted as soon as he began to speak."

"What!" cried the mother, "was your lamp then the occa-
sion of that cursed genie's addressing himself rather to me than
to you ? Ah! my son, take it out of my sight, and put it where
you please. I will never touch it. I had rather you would sell it,
than run the hazard of being frightened to death again by touch-
ing it: and if you would take my advice, you would part also
with the ring, and not have anything to do with genies, who, as
our prophet has told us, are only devils."

"With your leave, mother," replied Aladdin," I shall take care
how I sell a lamp which may be so serviceable both to you and
me. Have you not been an eye-witness of what it has procured

[ 116 1

ALADDIN

us? and it shall still continue to furnish us with subsistence.
My false and wicked uncle would not have taken so much pains,
and undertaken so long a journey, if it had not been to get into
his possession this wonderful lamp, which he preferred before all
the gold and silver which he knew was in the halls. He knew
too well the worth of this lamp, not to prefer it to so great a
treasure; and since chance hath discovered the virtue of it to us,
let us make a profitable use of it, without making any great show,
and exciting the envy and jealousy of our neighbours. However,
since the genies frighten you so much, I will take it out of your
sight, and put it where I may find it when I want it. The ring I
cannot resolve to part with ; for without that you had never seen
me again; and though I am alive now, perhaps, if it was gone, I
might not be so some moments hence; therefore I hope you will
give me leave to keep it, and to wear it always on my finger.
Who knows what dangers you and I may be exposed to, which
neither of us can foresee, and from which it may deliver us.^'*
As Aladdin's arguments were just, his mother had nothing to
say against them; she only replied, that he might do what he
pleased ; for her part, she would have nothing to do with genies,
but would wash her hands of them.

By the next night they had eaten all the provisions the genie
had brought: and the next day Aladdin, who could not bear the
thought of hunger, putting one of the silver dishes under his
vest, went out early to sell it, and addressing himself to a Jew
whom he met in the streets, took him aside, and pulling out the
plate, asked him if he would buy it. The cunning Jew took the
dish, examined it, and as soon as he found that it was good silver,
asked Aladdin at how much he valued it. Aladdin, who knew
not its value, and never had been used to such traffic, told him he
would trust to his judgment and honour. The Jew was some-

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THE ARABIAN NIGHTS

what confounded at this plain deahng; and doubting whether
Aladdin understood the material or the full value of what he
offered to sell, took a piece of gold out of his purse and gave it
to him, though it was but the sixtieth part of the worth of the
plate. Aladdin, taking the money very eagerly, retired with so
much haste, that the Jew, not content with the exorbitancy of his
profit, was vexed he had not penetrated into his ignorance, and
was going to run after him, to endeavour to get some change out
of the piece of gold; but the lad ran so fast, and had got so far,
that it would have been impossible for him to overtake him.

Before Aladdin w^ent home, he called at a baker's, bought
some cakes of bread, changed his money, and on his return gave
the rest to his mother, who went and purchased provisions enough
to last them some time. After this manner they lived, till
Aladdin had sold the twelve dishes singly, as necessity pressed,
to the Jew, for the same money; who, after the first time, durst
not offer him less, for fear of losing so good a bargain. When he
had sold the last dish, he had recourse to the tray, which weighed
ten times as much as the dishes, and would have carried it to his
old purchaser, but that it was too large and cumbersome; there-
fore he w^as obliged to bring him home with him to his mother's,
where, after the Jew had examined the weight of the tray, he laid
down ten pieces of gold, with w^hich Aladdin was very w^ell satisfied.

They lived on these ten pieces in a frugal manner, for Aladdin,
though formerly used to an idle life, had left off playing with young
lads of his own age ever since his adventure with the African
magician. He spent his time in walking about, and conversing
with decent people, with whom he gradually got acquainted.
Sometimes he would stop at the principal merchants' shops,
where people of distinction met, and listen to their discourse,
by which he gained some little knowledge of the world.

[ 118 ]

ALADDIN

When all the money was spent, Aladdin had recourse again
to the lamp. He took it in his hand, looked for the part where
his mother had rubbed it with the sand, and rubbed it also, when
the genie immediately appeared, and said: "What wouldst thou
have? I am ready to obey thee as thy slave, and the slave of
ail those who have that lamp in their hands; I, and the other
slaves of the lamp." "I am hungry," said Aladdin; "bring me
something to eat." The genie disappeared, and presently re-
turned with a tray, and the same number of covered dishes as
before, set them down, and vanished.

Aladdin's mother, knowing what her son was going to do,
went out about some business, on purpose to avoid being in the
way when the genie came ; and when she returned, was almost as
much surprised as before at the prodigious effect of the lamp.
However, she sat down with her son, and when they had eaten as
much as they liked, she set enough by to last them two or three days.

As soon as Aladdin found that their provisions were ex-
pended, he took one of the dishes, and went to look for his Jew
again; but passing by the shop of a goldsmith, who had the
character of a very fair and honest man, the goldsmith perceiv-
ing him, called to him, and said : '' My lad, I have often observed
you go by, loaded as you are at present, and talk with such a Jew,
and then come back again empty-handed. I imagine that you
carry something which you sell to him; but perhaps you do not
know that he is the greatest rogue even among the Jews, and
that nobody of prudence will have anything to do with him. If
you will shew me what you now carry, and it is to be sold, I vvill
give you the full worth of it; or I will direct you to other mer-
chants who will not cheat you."

The hopes of getting more money for his plate induced Alad-
din to pull it from under his vest, and shew it to the goldsmith,

[ 119 ]

THE ARABIAN NIGHTS

who at first sight saw that it was made of the finest silver and
asked him if he had sold such as that to the Jew, when Aladdin
told him that he had sold him twelve such, for a piece of gold
each. "What a villain!" cried the goldsmith; "but," added he,
"my son, what is past cannot be recalled. By shewing you the
value of this plate, which is of the finest silver we use in our shops^
I will let you see how much the Jew has cheated you."

The goldsmith took a pair of scales, weighed the dish, and
after he had mentioned how much an ounce of fine silver was
worth, assured him that his plate would fetch by weight sixty
pieces of gold, which he offered to pay down immediately. "If
you dispute my honesty," said he, "you may go to any other of
our trade, and if he gives you more, I will be bound to forfeit
twice as much!"

Aladdin thanked him for his fair dealing, so greatly to his
advantage, took the gold, and never after went to- any other
person, but sold him all his dishes and the tray.

Though Aladdin and his mother had an inexhaustible treas-
ure in their lamp, and might have had whatever they wished for,
yet they lived with the same frugality as before, except that Alad-
din dressed better; as for his mother, she wore no clothes but
what she earned by spinning cotton. After their manner of liv-
ing, it may easily be supposed that the money for which Aladdin
had sold the dishes and tray was sufficient to maintain them for
some time.

During this interval, Aladdin frequented the shops of the
principal merchants, where they sold cloth of gold and silver,
linens, silk stuffs, and jewelry, and oftentimes joining in their
conversation, acquired a knowledge of the world, and respectable
demeanour. By his acquaintance among the jewellers, he came
to know that the fruits which he had gathered when he took the

[ 120 ]

ALADDIN

lamp were, instead of coloured glass, stones of inestimable value;
but he had the prudence not to mention this to any one, not even
to his mother.

One day as Aladdin was walking about the town, he heard
an order proclaimed, commanding the people to shut up their
shops and houses, and keep within doors, while the Princess
Badroulboudour, the sultan's daughter, went to the baths and
returned.

This proclamation inspired Aladdin with eager curiosity to
see the princess's face, which he could not do without admission
into the house of some acquaintance, and then only through a
window; but to gratify his curiosity, he presently thought of a
scheme, which succeeded; it was to place himself behind the
door of the bath, which was so situated that he could not fail of
seeing her face.

Aladdin had not waited long before the princess came, and
he could see her plainly through a chink of the door without being
discovered. She was attended by a great crowd of ladies, slaves,
and eunuchs, who walked on each side, and behind her. When
she came within three or four paces of the door of the baths, she
took off her veil, and gave Aladdin an opportunity of a full view.

As soon as Aladdin had seen the princess, his heart could not
withstand those inclinations so charming an object always in-
spires. She was the most beautiful brunette in the world;
her eyes were large, lively, and sparkling; her looks sweet and
modest; her nose was of a just proportion and without a fault,
her mouth small, her lips of a vermilion red; in a word, all the
features of her face were perfectly regular. It is not therefore
surprising that Aladdin, who had never before seen such a blaze
of charms, was dazzled, and his senses ravished by such an as-
semblage. With all these perfections the princess had so majes-

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THE ARABIAN NIGHTS

tic an air, that the sight of her was sufficient to inspire love and
admiration.

After the princess had passed by, and entered the baths,
Aladdin remained some time astonished and in a kind of ecstasy,
retracing and imprinting the idea of so charming an object
deeply in his mind, but at last, he resolved to quit his hiding-
place and go home. He could not so far conceal his uneasiness
but that his mother perceived it, was surprised to see him so much
more thoughtful than usual; and asked if he were ill.? He re-
turned her no answer, but sat carelessly down on the sofa, and
remained silently musing on the image of the charming Badroul-
boudour.

After supper, his mother asked him again why he was so
melancholy, but could get no information, and he determined
to go to bed rather than give her the least satisfaction. As he
sat next day on the sofa, opposite his mother, however, as she
was spinning cotton, he spoke to her in these words: "I per-
ceive, mother, that my silence yesterday has much troubled you;
I was not, nor am I ill ; but I assure you, that what I felt then,
and now endure, is worse than any disease.

"It was not proclaimed in this quarter of the town, and
therefore you could know nothing of it, that the sultan's daughter
was yesterday to go to the baths. I had a great curiosity to see
her face; and as it occurred to me that when she came nigh the
bath, she would pull her veil off, I resolved to conceal myself
behind the door. She did so and I had the happiness of seeing
her lovely face with the greatest security. This, mother, was
the cause of my silence yesterday ; I love the princess with more
violence than I can express; and as my passion increases every
moment, I am resolved to ask her in marriage of the sultan, her
father."

[ 122 ]

ALADDIN

Aladdin's mother listened with interest to what her son told
her; but when he talked of asking the princess in marriage, she
could not help bursting out into a loud laugh. He would
have gone on with his rhapsody, but she interrupted him:
"Alas! child," said she, "what are you thinking of? you must be
mad to talk thus."

"I assure you, mother," replied Aladdin, "that I am not mad,
but in my right senses ; I foresaw that you would reproach me with
folly and extravagance; but I must tell you once more, that I
am resolved to demand the princess in marriage!"

"Indeed, son," replied the mother seriously, "I cannot help
telling you that you have forgotten yourself, and I do not see who
will venture to make the proposal for you." "You yourself,"
replied he immediately. "I go to the sultan!" answered the
mother, amazed. "I shall be cautious how I engage in such an
errand. Why, who are you, son," continued she, "that you can
have the assurance to think of your sultan's daughter ? Have
you forgotten that your father was one of the poorest tailors in the
capital, and that I am of no better extraction; and do not you
know that sultans never marry their daughters but to sons of
sovereigns like themselves.^"

"Mother," answered Aladdin, "I foresaw all that you have
said, or can say: and tell you that neither your discourse nor
your remonstrances shall make me change my mind. I have
told you that you must ask the princess in marriage for me. I
beg of you not to refuse, unless you would rather see me in my
grave, than by your compliance give me new life."

The good old woman was much embarrassed, when she
found Aladdin persisting in so wild a design. "My son," said
she again, "I am your mother, and there is nothing that is reason-
able but I would readily do for you. If I were to go and treat

[ 123 ]

THE ARABIAN NIGHTS

about your marriage with some neighbour's daughter, I would do
it with all my heart ; and even then they would expect you should
have some little estate, or be of some trade. When such poor
folks as we are wish to marry, the first thing they ought to think
of, is how to live. But without reflecting on the meanness of
your birth, and the little fortune you have to recommend you,
you aim at the highest pitch of exaltation ; and your pretensions
are no less than to demand in marriage the daughter of your
sovereign, w^ho with one single word can crush you to pieces.
How could so extraordinary a thought come into your head, as
that I should go to the sultan and ask him to give his daughter
in marriage to you ? Suppose I had the impudence to present
myself before the sultan, to w^hom should I address myself to
be introduced to his majesty ? Do you not think the first person
I should speak to would take me for a mad woman, and chastise
me as I should deserve ? I know there is no difficulty to those
who go to petition for justice, which the sultan distributes equally
among his subjects; I know, too, that to those who ask a favour
he grants it with pleasure when he sees it is deserved. But do
you think you have merited the honour you w^ould have me ask ?
What have you done to claim such a favour, either for your
prince or country.? How can I open my mouth to make the
proposal to the sultan ? His majestic presence and the lustre of
his court would absolutely confound me. There is another reason,
my son, w^hich you do not think of, which is that nobody ever goes
to ask a favour of the sultan without a present. But what presents
have you to make ? and what proportion could they bear to the
favour you would ask ? Therefore, reflect well, and consider that
you aspire to an object which it is impossible for you to obtain.'*
Aladdin heard very calmly all that his mother could say to
dissuade him from his design, and after he had weighed her

[ 124 ]

ALADDIN

representations replied: "I own, mother, it is great rashness in
me to presume to carry my pretensions so far; and a great
want of consideration to ask you to go and make the proposal to
the sultan, without first taking proper measures to procure a
favourable reception, and I therefore beg your pardon. But be
not surprised that I did not at first see every measure necessary
to procure me the happiness I seek. I love the princess, and
shall always persevere in my design of marrying her. I am
obliged to you for the hint you have given me, and look
upon it as the first step I ought to take to procure the happy
issue I promise myself.

"You say it is not customary to go to the sultan without a
present, and that I have nothing worthy of his acceptance.
Do not you think, mother, that what I brought home with me
the day on which I was delivered from death may be an ac-
ceptable present.^ I mean those things that you and I both
took for coloured glass: but now I can tell you that they are
jewels of inestimable value. I know the worth of them by fre-
quenting the shops; and you may take my word that all the
precious stones which I saw in the jewellers' shops were not
to be compared to those we have, either for size or beauty; I
am persuaded that they will be received very favourably by the
sultan: you have a large porcelain dish fit to hold them; fetch
it, and let us see how they will look, when we have arranged
them according to their different colours."

Aladdin's mother brought the china dish, when he took the
jewels out of the two purses in which he had kept them, and
placed them in order according to his fancy. But the brightness
and lustre they emitted in the daytime so dazzled the eyes both
of mother and son, that they were astonished beyond measure;
for they had only seen them by the light of a lamp; and though

[ 125 ]

THE ARABIAN NIGHTS

the latter had beheld them pendent on the trees like fruit beau-
tiful to the eye, yet as he was then but a boy, he looked on them
only as glittering playthings.

After they had admired the beauty of the jewels some time,
Aladdin said to his mother: "Now you cannot excuse yourself
from going to the sultan, under pretext of not having a present
to make him, since here is one which will gain you a favourable
reception."

Though the good widow did not believe the precious stones
so valuable as her son estimated them, she thought such a present
might nevertheless be agreeable to the sultan, but she still hesi-
tated. " My son," said she, ''I cannot conceive that the sultan will
look upon me with a favourable eye ; I am sure, that if I attempt to
deliver your strange message, I shall have no power to open my
mouth ; therefore I shall not only lose my labour, but the present,
which you say is so valuable, and shall return home again in
confusion, to tell you that your hopes are frustrated. But,"
added she, "I will do my best to please you, though certainly the
sultan will either laugh at me, or be in so great a rage, as to
make us both the victims of his fury."

She used many other arguments to endeavour to make
Aladdin change his mind; but he persisted in importuning his
mother to execute his resolution, and she, out of tenderness,
complied with his request.

As it was now late, and the time for admission to the palace
was passed, the visit was put off till the next day. The mother
and son talked of different matters the remaining hours; and
Aladdin strove to encourage her in the task she had undertaken ;
while she could not persuade herself she should succeed ; and it
must be confessed she had reason enough to doubt. "Child,"
said she to Aladdin, "if the sultan should hear my proposal

[ 126 ]

ALADDIN

^\^th calmness, and after this should think of asking me where
lie your riches and your estate, what answer would you have me
return him ?"

''Let us not be uneasy, mother," replied Aladdin, "about
what may never happen. First, let us see how the sultan re-
ceives, and what answer he gives you. If he desires to be in-
formed of what you mention, I am confident that the lamp
will not fail me in time of need."

The tailor's widow reflected that the lamp might be capable
of doing greater wonders than just providing victuals for them,
and this removed all the difficulties which might have prevented
her from undertaking the service she had promised. Aladdin,
who penetrated into his mother's thoughts, said to her: "Above
all things, mother, be sure to keep secret our possession of the
lamp, for thereon depends the success we have to expect;" and
after this caution they parted to go to rest. Aladdin rose before
daybreak, awakened his mother, pressing her to get herself
dressed to go to the sultan's palace, and to get admittance,
if possible, before the great officers of state went in to take
their seats in the divan, where the sultan always assisted in
person.

Aladdin's mother took the china dish, in which they had put
the jewels the day before, wrapped in two napkins, one finer
than the other, which was tied at the four corners for more easy
carriage, and set out for the palace. When she came to the
gates, the grand vizier, the other viziers, and most distinguished
lords of the court, were just gone in; but, notwithstanding the
great crowd of people who had business there, she got into the
divan, a spacious hall, the entrance into which was very magnifi-
cent. She placed herself just before the sultan, grand vizier,
and the great lords, who sat in council, on his right and left hand.

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Several causes were called, according to their order, pleaded and
adjudged, until the time the divan generally broke up, when
the sultan rising, returned to his apartment, attended by the
grand vizier; the other viziers and ministers of state then retired,
as also did all those whose business had called them thither;
some pleased with gaining their causes, others dissatisfied at
the sentences pronounced against them, and some in expecta-
tion of being heard the next sitting.

Aladdin's mother, seeing the sultan retire, and all the people
depart, judged rightly that he would not sit again that day, and
resolved to go home. When Aladdin saw her return with the
present, he knew not what to think, and in fear lest she should
bring him some ill news, had not courage to ask her any ques-
tions; but she, who had never set foot into the sultan's palace
before, and knew not what was every day practised there, freed
him from his embarrassment, and said to him: *'Son,I have seen
the sultan, and am very well persuaded he has seen me too; for
I placed myself just before him; but he was so much taken up
with those who attended on all sides of him, that I pitied him,
and wondered at his patience. At last I believe he was heartily
tired, for he rose up suddenly, and would not hear a great many
who were ready prepared to speak to him, but went away, at
which I was well pleased, for indeed I began to lose all patience,
and was extremely fatigued with staying so long. But there is
no harm done; I will go again to-morrow; perhaps the sultan
may not be so busy."

Though his passion was very violent, Aladdin was forced
to be satisfied, and to fortify himself with patience. He had
at least the satisfaction to find that his mother had got over the
greatest diflSculty, which was to procure access to the sultan,
and hoped that the example of those she saw speak to him would

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ALADDIN

embolden her to acquit herself better of her commission when a
favourable opportunity might offer.

The next morning she repaired to the sultan's palace with
the present, as early as the day before, but when she came there,
she found the gates of the divan shut, and understood that the
council sat but every other day, therefore she must come again
the next. This news she carried to her son, whose only relief
was to guard himself with patience. She went six times after-
ward on the days appointed and placed herself always directly
before the sultan, but with as little success as the first morning, and
might have perhaps come a thousand times to as little purpose, if
luckily the sultan himself had not taken particular notice of her.

On the sixth day, after the divan was broken up, when the
sultan returned to his own apartment, he said to his grand vizier :
^'I have for some time observed a certain woman, who attends
constantly every day that I give audience, with something
wrapped up in a napkin: she always stands up from the begin-
ning to the breaking up of the audience, and affects to place her-
self just before me. Do you know what she wants ?"

"Sir," replied the grand vizier, who knew no more than the
sultan what she wanted, but did not wish to seem uninformed,
"your majesty knows that women often make complaints on
trifles; perhaps she may come to complain that somebody has
sold her some bad flour, or some such trifling matter." The
sultan was not satisfied with this answer, but repHed: "If this
woman comes to our next audience, do not fail to call her, that
I may hear what she has to say." The grand vizier made
answer by lowering his hand, and then Hfting it up above his
head, signifying his wilHngness to lose it if he failed.

By this time, the tailor's widow was so much used to go to
audience, and stand before the sultan, that she did not think it

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THE ARABIAN NIGHTS

any trouble, if she could but satisfy her son that she neglected
nothing that lay in her power to please him : so the next audience-
day she went to the divan and placed herself in front of the sultan
as usual; and before the grand vizier had made his report of
business, the sultan perceived her, and compassionating her for
having waited so long, said to the vizier: "Before you enter upon
any business, remember the woman I spoke to you about;
bid her come near, and let us despatch her business first." The
grand vizier immediately called the chief of the macebearers,
and pointing to her, bade him tell her to come before the sultan.

The chief of the officers went to Aladdin's mother, and at a
sign he gave her, she followed him to the foot of the sultan's
throne, where he left her, and retired to his place by the grand
vizier. The old woman bowed her head down to the carpet,
which covered the platform of the throne, and remained in that
posture till the sultan bade her rise, when he said to her: "Good
woman, I have observed you to stand from the beginning to the
rising of the divan; what business brings you here .^"

After these words, Aladdin's mother prostrated herself a
second time; and when she arose, said: "Monarch of monarchs,
before I tell your majesty the extraordinary and incredible busi-
ness which brings me before your high throne, I beg of you to
pardon the boldness of the demand I am going to make, which is
so uncommon, that I tremble, and am ashamed to propose it to
my sovereign." In order to give her the more freedom to explain
herself, the sultan ordered all to quit the divan but the grand
vizier, and then told her she might speak without restraint.

Aladdin's mother, not content with this favour of the sultan's
to save her the confusion of speaking before so many people, was,
notwithstanding, a little apprehensive; therefore, resuming her
discourse, she said: "I beg of your majesty, if you should think

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ALADDIN

my demand the least offensive, to assure me first of your forgive-
ness." "Well," replied the sultan, "I will forgive you, be it
what it may, and no hurt shall come to you: speak boldly."

When Aladdin's mother had taken all these precautions, she
told him faithfully how Aladdin had seen the Princess Badroul-
boudour, the violent love that fatal sight had inspired him with,
the declaration he had made to her when he came home, and
what she had said to dissuade him. "But," continued she,
"my son, instead of taking my advice and reflecting on his pre-
sumption, v/as so obstinate as to persevere, and to threaten me
with some desperate act, if I refused to come and ask the prin-
cess in marriage of your majesty; and it was not without the
greatest reluctance that I was led to accede to his request, for
which I beg your majesty once more to pardon not only me, but
also Aladdin my son, for entertaining so rash a project."

The sultan hearkened to this discourse without shewing the
least anger; but before he gave her any answer, asked her what
she had brought tied up in the napkin ? She took the china dish,
which she had set down at the foot of the throne before she
prostrated herself before him, untied it, and presented it to the
sultan.

The monarch's amazement and surprise were inexpressible,
when he saw so many large, beautiful, and valuable jew^els col-
lected in the dish. He remained for some time motionless with
admiration. At last, when he had recovered himself, he re-
ceived the present, crying out in a transport of joy: "How rich,
how beautiful!" After he had admired and handled all the
jew-els, one after another, he turned to his grand vizier, and
shewing him the dish, said: "Behold, admire, wonder, and con-
fess that your eyes never beheld jewels so rich and beautiful
before." The vizier was charmed. "Well," continued the

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THE ARABIAN NIGHTS

sultan, **what sayest thou to such a present? Is it not worthy
of the princess, my daughter ? And ought I not to bestow her on
one who values her at so great price ?"

These words put the grand vizier into extreme agitation.
The sultan had some time before signified to him his intention
of bestowing the princess on a son of his; therefore he was afraid,
and not without grounds, that the present might change his
majesty's mind. Therefore going to him, and whispering him in
the ear, he said: "I cannot but own that the present is worthy of
the princess; but I beg of your majesty to grant me three months
before you come to a final resolution. I hope, before that time,
my son, on whom you have had the goodness to look with a
favourable eye, will be able to make a nobler present than
Aladdin, who is an entire stranger to your majesty."

The sultan, though he was fully persuaded that it was not
possible for the vizier to provide so considerable a present for his
son, yet hearkened to him, and granted his request. Turning
therefore to the old widow, he said to her: "Good woman, go
home, and tell your son that I agree to the proposal you have made
me; but I cannot marry the princess, my daughter, till the
paraphernalia I design for her be got ready, which cannot be
finished these three months; but at the expiration of that time,
come again."

The widow returned home much more gratified than she had
expected, since she had met with a favourable answer.

Aladdin thought himself the most happy of all men at hear-
ing this news, and thanked his mother for the pains she had
taken in the affair, the good success of which w^as of so great
importance to his peace.

When two of the three months were passed, his mother one
evening going to light the lamp, and finding no oil in the house,

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ALADDIN

went out to buy some, and when she came into the city, found a
general rejoicing. The shops were open, dressed with fohage,
silks, and carpeting, every one striving to shew their zeal in the
most distinguished manner according to their abihty. The streets
were crowded with officers in habits of ceremony, mounted on
horses richly caparisoned, each attended by a great many foot-
men. Aladdin's mother asked the oil-merchant what was the
meaning of all this preparation of pubHc festivity.^ "Whence
come you, good woman," said he, "that you do not know that
the grand vizier's son is to marry the Princess Badroulboudour,
the sultan's daughter, to-night ? She will presently return from
the baths; and these ofiBcers whom you see are to assist at the
cavalcade to the palace, where the ceremony is to be solemnised."

This was news enough for Aladdin's mother. She ran till
she was quite out of breath home to her son, who little suspected
any such event. "Child," cried she, "you are undone! you
depend upon the sultan's fine promises, but they will come to
nothing." Aladdin was alarmed at these words. "Mother,"
replied he, "how do you know the sultan has been guilty of a
breach of promise.^" "This night," answered the mother,
"the grand vizier's son is to marry the Princess Badroulboudour."
She then related how she had heard it; so that he had no reason
to doubt the truth of what she said.

At this account, Aladdin was thunderstruck. Any other man
would have sunk under the shock; but a sudden hope of disap-
pointing his rival soon roused his spirits, and he bethought him-
self of the lamp, which had in every emergency been so useful
to him; and without venting his rage in empty words against
the sultan, the vizier, or his son, he only said: "Perhaps, mother,
the vizier's son may not be so happy to-night as he promises
himself: while I go into my chamber a moment, do you get sup-

[ 133 ]

THE ARABIAN NIGHTS

per ready." She accordingly went about it, but guessed that her
son was going to make use of the lamp, to prevent, if possible,
the consummation of the marriage.

When Aladdin had got into his chamber, he took the lamp,
rubbed it in the same place as before, when immediately the
genie appeared, and said to him: "What wouldst thou have.^
I am ready to obey thee as thy slave, and the slave of all those
who have that lamp in their possession; I and the other slaves
of the lamp." "Hear me," said Aladdin; "thou hast hitherto
])rought me whatever I wanted as to provisions; but now I have
business of the greatest importance for thee to execute. I have
demanded the Princess Badroulboudour in marriage of the sultan,
her father; he promised her to me, only requiring three months'
delay; but instead of keeping that promise, has this night
planned to marry her to the grand vizier's son. What I ask of
you is, that as soon as the two are made one, you bring them
both hither to me." "Master," replied the genie, "I will obey
you. Have you any other commands.'*" "None at present,"
answered Aladdin, and then the genie disappeared.

Aladdin having left his chamber, supped with his mother,
with the same tranquillity of mind as usual; and after supper
talked of the princess's marriage as of an affair wherein he had
not the least concern ; he then retired to his own chamber again,
but sat up waiting the execution of his orders to the genie.

In the meantime, everything was prepared with the greatest
magnificence in the sultan's palace to celebrate the princess's
nuptials ; and the evening was spent with all the usual ceremonies
and great rejoicings.

No sooner had the bride and bridegroom slipped away from
the company, however, than the genie, as the faithful slave of the
lamp, and punctual in executing the command of those who

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ALADDIN

possessed it, to the great amazement of them both, took them up
and transported them in an instant to Aladdin's chamber, where
he set them down.

Aladdin had w^aited impatiently for this moment. *'Take
this new-married man," said he to the genie, "shut him up in the
house of office, and come again to-morrow morning before day-
break." The genie instantly carried the vizier's son whither
Aladdin had commanded him; and after he had breathed upon
him, which prevented his stirring, left him there.

Passionate as was Aladdin's love for the princess, he did not
talk much to her when they were alone; but only said w^ith a
respectful air: "Fear nothing, adorable princess; you are here in
safety. If I have been forced to come to this extremity, it is to
prevent an unjust rival's possessing you, contrary to your father's
promise in favour of myself."

The princess, who knew nothing of these particulars, gave
very little attention to what Aladdin could say. The fright and
amazement of so surprising an adventure had alarmed her so
much that he could not get one word from her. Badroulboudour
never passed a night so ill in her life ; and if we consider the condi-
tion in which the genie left the grand vizier's son, we may imagine
that the new^ bridegroom spent it much worse.

Aladdin had no occasion the next morning to rub the lamp
to call the genie; who appeared at the hour appointed, and said
to him : " I am here, master ; what are your commands .? " " Go,"
said Aladdin, "fetch the vizier's son out of the place where you
left him, and carry the pair to the sultan's palace, from whence
you brought them." The genie presently returned with the
vizier's son, and in an instant they were transported into the same
chamber of the palace from whence they had been brought.
But we must observe, that all this time the genie never was

[ 135 ]

THE ARABIAN NIGHTS

visible either to the princess or the grand vizier's son. His
hideous form would have made them die with fear. Neither did
they hear anything of the discourse between Aladdin and him;
they only perceived the motion through the air, and their trans-
portation from one place to another ; which we may well imagine
was enough to alarm them.

The sultan went to the room of the princess next morning and
kissed her between the eyes, according to custom, wishing her a
good morrow, but was extremely surprised to see her so melan-
choly. She only cast at him a sorrowful look, expressive of great
affliction. He said a few words to her; but finding that he could
not get an answer, was forced to retire. Nevertheless, he
suspected that there was something extraordinary in this silence,
and thereupon went immediately to the sultaness's apartment,
told her in what a state he had found the princess, and how she
had received him. "Sir," said the sultaness, *'I will go and see
her; I am much deceived if she receives me in the same manner."

As soon as the sultaness was dressed, she went to the princess's
apartment, w^ho was still in bed. She undrew the curtain, wished
her good morrow, and kissed her. But how great was her sur-
prise when she returned no answer ; and looking more attentively
at her, she perceived her to be much dejected, which made her
judge that something had happened, which she did not under-
stand. "How comes it, child," said the sultaness, "that you do
not return my caresses ? Ought you to treat your mother after this
manner ? I am induced to believe something extraordinary has
happened ; come, tell me freely, and leave me no longer in a pain-
ful suspense."

At last the princess broke silence with a deep sigh, and said :
"Alas! most honoured mother, forgive me if I have failed in the
respect I owe you. My mind is so full of the extraordinary

[ 136 ]

ALADDIN

circumstances which have befallen me that I have not yet recov-
ered from my amazement and alarm." She then related her
surprising adventures, which the sultaness heard very patiently,
but could scarcely believe. "You did wiell, child," said she, "not
to speak of this to your father: take care not to mention it to
anybody ; for you will certainly be thought mad if you talk in this
manner." "Madam," replied the princess, "I can assure you I
am in my right senses; ask my husband and he will tell you the
same circumstances." "I will," said the sultaness; "but if he
should talk in the same manner, I shall not be better persuaded
of the truth. Come, rise, and throw off this idle fancy; it will
be strange if all the feasts and rejoicings in the kingdom should
be interrupted by such a vision. Do not you hear the trumpets
of congratulation, and concerts of the finest music .? Cannot these
inspire you with joy and make you forget the fancies of a dream ?"
At the same time the sultaness called the princess's women, and
after she had seen her get up, went to the sultan's apartment,
told him that her daughter had got some odd notions in her head,
but that there was nothing in them but idle phantasy.

She then sent for the vizier's son, to know of him something
of what the princess had told her ; but he, thinking himself highly
honoured to be allied to the sultan, and not willing to lose the
princess, denied what had happened. "That is enough,"
answered the sultaness ; " I ask no more. I see you are wiser than
my daughter."

The rejoicings lasted all that day in the palace, and the
sultaness, who never left the princess, forgot nothing to divert her,
and induce her to take part in the various diversions and shows ;
but she was so struck with the idea of what had happened to her
in the night, that it was easy to see her thoughts were entirely
taken up with it. Neither was the grand vizier's son in less tribu-

[ 137 ]

THE ARABIAN NIGHTS

lation, though his ambition made him disguise his feelings so
well, that nobody doubted of his being a happy bridegroom.

Aladdin, who was well acquainted with what passed in the
palace, was resolved that the troublesome adventure of the night
before should again disturb the unhappy pair, and therefore
had recourse to his lamp, and when the genie appeared and
offered his service, he said to him: "Bring the grand vizier's
son and the Princess Badroulboudour hither to-night, as thou
didst yesterday."

The genie obeyed as faithfully and exactly as the day before ;
the grand vizier's son passed the night as coldly and disagreeably,
and the princess had the same alarm and mortification. The
genie, according to orders, came the next morning, and returned
the new-married couple again to the palace.

The sultan, after the reception the princess had given him,
was very anxious to know how she had passed the second night,
and therefore went into her chamber as early as the morning
before. After the same caresses he had given her the former
morning, he bade her good-morrow. "Well, daughter," said he,
"are you in a better humour than yesterday ?" Still the princess
was silent, and the sultan, perceiving her to be in greater con-
fusion than before, doubted not that something very extraor-
dinary was the cause; but provoked that his daughter should
conceal it, he said to her in a rage, with his sabre in his hand:
" Daughter, tell me what is the matter, or I will cut off your head
immediately."

The princess, more frightened at the tone of the enraged
sultan than at the sight of the drawn sabre, at last broke silence,
and said with tears in her eyes: "My dear father and sultan, I ask
your majesty's pardon if I have offended you, and hope that out
of your goodness you will have compassion on me."

[ 138 ]

ALADDIN

After this preamble, which appeased the sultan, she told him
what had happened to her in so moving a manner, that he, who
loved her tenderly, was most sensibly grieved. She added: "If
your majesty doubts the truth of this account, you may inform
yourself from my husband, who will tell you the same thing."

The sultan immediately felt all the uneasiness so surprising
an adventure must have given the princess. "Daughter," said
he, "you are much to blame for not telling me this yesterday,
since it concerns me as much as yourself. I did not marry you
to make you miserable, but that you might enjoy all the happiness
you might hope for from a husband, who to me seemed agreeable
to you. Efface all these troublesome ideas from your memory;
I will take care that you shall have no more such disagreeable
experiences."

As soon as the sultan had returned to his own apartment, he
sent for the grand vizier: "Vizier," said he, "have you seen your
son, and has he told you anything.?" The vizier replied: "No."
The sultan related all the circumstances of which the princess had
informed him, and afterward said: "I do not doubt but that my
daughter has told me the truth ; but nevertheless I should be glad
to have it confirmed by your son, therefore go and ask him how
it was.

The grand vizier went immediately to his son, communicated
what the sultan had told him, and enjoined him to conceal noth-
ing, but to relate the whole truth. "I will disguise nothing from
you, father," replied the son, *'for indeed all that the princess has
stated is true. Yet I must tell you, that all these experiences do
not in the least lessen those sentiments of love and gratitude I
entertain for her; but I must confess, that notwithstanding all
the honour that attends marrying my sovereign's daughter, I
would much rather die than continue in so exalted an alliance, if

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THE ARABIAN NIGHTS

I must undergo much longer what I have already endured. I
do not doubt but that the princess entertains the same sentiments,
and that she will readily agree to a separation which is so neces-
sary both for her repose and mine. Therefore, father, I beg, by
the same tenderness which led you to procure me so great an
honour, to obtain the sultan's consent that our marriage may be
declared null and void."

Notwithstanding the grand vizier's ambition to have his son
allied to the sultan, the firm resolution he saw he had formed to be
separated from the princess caused the father to give his majesty
a full account of what had passed, begging him finally to give
his son leave to retire from the palace, alleging it was not just that
the princess should be a moment longer exposed to so terrible
a persecution upon his son's account.

The grand vizier found no great difficulty to obtain what he
asked, as the sultan had determined upon it already; orders were
given to put a stop to all rejoicings in the palace and town,
and expresses despatched to all parts of his dominions to counter-
mand his first orders; and in a short time, all merry-making
ceased.

This sudden change gave rise both in the city and kingdom
to various speculations and inquiries ; but no other account could
be given of it, except that both the vizier and his son went out of
the palace much dejected. Nobody but Aladdin knew the secret,
who rejoiced at the happy success procured by his lamp. Neither
the sultan nor the grand vizier, who had forgotten Aladdin and his
request, had the least thought that he had any concern in the
enchantment which caused the dissolution of the marriage.

Aladdin waited till the three months were completed, which
the sultan had appointed for the consummation of the marriage
between the Princess Badroulboudour and himself; and the

[ 140 ]

ALADDIN

next day sent his mother to the palace, to remind the sultan of
his promise.

The widow went to the palace, and stood in the same place as
before in the hall of audience. The sultan no sooner cast his eyes
upon her than he knew her again, remembered her business, and
how long he had put her off: therefore, when the grand vizier
was beginning to make his report, the sultan interrupted him, and
said: "Vizier, I see the good woman who made me the present of
jewels some months ago; forbear your report, till I have heard
what she has to say." The vizier, looking about the divan, per-
ceived the tailor's widow, and sent the chief of the mace-bearers
to conduct her to the sultan.

Aladdin's mother came to the foot of the throne, prostrated
herself as usual, and when she rose, the sultan asked her what she
would have. "Sir," said she, "I come to represent to your
majesty, in the name of my son, Aladdin, that the three months,
at the end of which you ordered me to come again, are expired ;
and to beg you to remember your promise."

The sultan, when he had fixed a time to answer the request
of this good woman, little thought of hearing any more of a
marriage, which he imagined would be very disagreeable to the
princess ; so this summons for him to fulfil his promise was some-
what embarrassing; he declined giving an answer till he had
consulted his vizier, and signified to him the little inclination he
had to conclude a match for his daughter with a stranger, whose
rank he supposed to be very mean.

The grand vizier freely told the sultan his thoughts, and said
to him: "In my opinion, sir, there is an infallible way for your
majesty to avoid a match so disproportionate, without giving
Aladdin, were he known to your majesty, any cause of complaint ;
which is, to set so high a price upon the princess that, however

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THE ARABIAN NIGHTS

rich he may be, he cannot comply with it. This is the only way
to make him desist from so bold an undertaking."

The sultan, approving of the grand vizier's advice, turned to
the tailor's widow and said to her: "Good woman, it is true
sultans ought to abide by their words, and I am ready to keep
mine, by making your son happy in marriage with the princess,
my daughter. But as I cannot marry her without some further
valuable consideration from your son, you may tell him, I will
fulfil my promise as soon as he shall send me forty trays of massy
gold, full of the same sort of jewels you have already made me a
present of, and carried by the like number of black slaves, who
shall be led by as many young and handsome white slaves,
all dressed magnificently. On these conditions I am ready to
bestow the princess, my daughter, upon him; therefore, good
woman, go and tell him so, and I will wait till you bring me his
answer."

Aladdin's mother prostrated herself a second time before
the sultan's throne, and retired. On her way home, she laughed
within herself at her son's foolish imagination. "Where," said
she, "can he get so many large gold trays, and such precious
stones to fill them ? Must he go again to that subterranean
abode and gather them off the trees ? and where will he get so
many such slaves as the sultan requires ? It is altogether out of
his power, and I believe he will not be much pleased with my
embassy this time." When she came home, full of these thoughts,
she said to her son: "Indeed, child, I would not have you think
any farther of your marriage with the princess. The sultan
received me very kindly, and I believe he was well inclined to
you; but if I am not much deceived the grand vizier has made
him change his mind." She then gave her son an exact account
of what the sultan had said to her, and the conditions on which

[ 142 ]

ALADDIN

he consented to the match. Afterward she said to him: "The
sultan expects your answer immediately; but," continued she,
laughing, "I believe he may wait long enough."

"Not so long, mother, as you imagine," replied Aladdin;
'''the sultan is mistaken, if he thinks by this exorbitant demand
to prevent my entertaining thoughts of the princess. I expected
that he would have set a higher price upon her incomparable
charms. His demand is but a trifle to what I could have done
for her. But while I think of satisfying his request, go and get
something for our dinner, and leave the rest to me."

As soon as his mother was gone out, Aladdin took the lamp,
and rubbing it, the genie appeared, and offered his service as
usual. "The sultan," said Aladdin to him, "gives me the
princess his daughter in marriage ; but demands first, forty large
trays of massy gold, full of the fruits of the garden from whence
I took this lamp ; and these he expects to have carried by as many
black slaves, each preceded by a young handsome white slave,
richly clothed. Go, and fetch me this present as soon as possible,
that I may send it to him before the divan breaks up." The
genie told him his command should be immediately obeyed, and
disappeared.

In a little time afterward the genie returned with forty
black slaves, each bearing on his head a heavy tray of pure gold,
full of pearls, diamonds, rubies, emeralds, and every sort of pre-
cious stones, all larger and more beautiful than those formerly
presented to the sultan. Each tray was covered with silver tissue,
embroidered with flowers of gold : these, together with the white
slaves, quite filled the house, which was but a small one, the little
court before it, and a small garden behind. The genie asked if
he had any other commands, and Aladdin telling him that he
wanted nothing further, he disappeared.

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When Aladdin's mother came from market, she was much
surprised to see so many people and such vast riches. As soon
as she had laid down her provisions, she was going to pull off
her veil; but her son prevented her, and said: "Mother, let us
lose no time; before the sultan and the divan rise, I would have
you return to the palace with this present as the dowry demanded
for the princess, that he may judge by my diligence of the ardent
desire I have to procure myself the honour of this alliance."
Without waiting for his mother's reply, Aladdin opened the street-
door, and made the slaves walk out; each white slave followed
by a black with a tray upon his head. W hen they were all out,
the mother followed the last black slave; he shut the door, and
then retired to his chamber, full of hopes that the sultan, after
this present, which was such as he required, would receive him
as his son-in-law.

The first white slave who went out made all the people who
were going by stop; and before they w^ere all clear of the house,
the streets w^ere crowded with spectators, who ran to see so
extraordinary and magnificent a procession. The dress of each
slave was so rich, both for the stuff and the jewels, that those
who were dealers in them valued each at no less than a million
of money; besides, the neatness and propriety of the dress, the
noble air, fine shape and proportion of each slave were unparal-
leled ; their grave walk at an equal distance from each other, the
lustre of the jewels, curiously set in their girdles of gold, and the
egrets of precious stones in their turbans, put the spectators into
such great admiration, that they could not avoid following them
with their eyes as far as possible. As soon as the first of these
slaves arrived at the palace gate, the porters formed themselves
into order, taking him for a prince from the magnificence of his
habit, and were going to kiss the hem of his garment; but the

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ALADDIN

slave, who was instructed by the genie, prevented them, and
said: "We are only slaves, our master will appear at a proper
time."

The first slave, followed by the rest, advanced into the second
court, which was very spacious, and in which the sultan's house-
hold was ranged during the sitting of the divan. The magnifi-
cence of the oSicers, who stood at the head of their troops, was
considerably eclipsed by the slaves who bore Aladdin's present,
of which they themselves made a part.

As the sultan, who had been informed of their approach to
the palace, had given orders for them to be admitted, they went
into the divan in regular order, one part filing to the right, and
the other to the left. After they were all entered, and had formed
a semicircle before the sultan's throne, the black slaves laid the
golden trays on the carpet, prostrating themselves, and at the
same time the white slaves did the same. When they rose, the
black slaves uncovered the trays, and then all stood with their
arms crossed over their breasts.

In the meantime Aladdin's mother advanced to the foot of
the throne, and having paid her respects, said to the sultan: "Sir,
my son is sensible that this present, which he has sent your
majesty, is much below the Princess Badroulboudour's worth;
but hopes, nevertheless, that your majesty will accept of it."

The sultan was not able to give the least attention to this
compliment. The moment he cast his eyes on the forty trays,
full of the most precious and beautiful jewels he had ever seen,
and the fourscore slaves, who appeared by the elegance of their
persons, and the magnificence of their dress, like so many princes,
he was overwhelmed. Instead of answering the compliment
of Aladdin's mother, he addressed himself to the grand vizier,
who could not any more than the sultan comprehend from whence

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THE ARABIAN NIGHTS

such a profusion of richness could come. "Well, vizier," said
he aloud, "who do you think it can be that has sent me so
extraordinary a present? Do you think him worthy of the
Princess Badroulboudour, my daughter?"

The vizier, notwithstanding his envy and grief at seeing a
stranger preferred to his son, durst not disguise his sentiments.
It was too visible that Aladdin's present was more than sufficient
to merit his being received into royal alliance; therefore, con-
sulting his master's feelings, he returned this answer: "I am
so far from having any thoughts that the person who has made
your majesty so noble a present is unworthy of the honour you
would do him, that I should say he deserved much more, if I
were not persuaded that the greatest treasure in the world ought
not to be put in competition with the princess, your majesty's
daughter."

The sultan made no longer hesitation, nor thought of inform-
ing himself whether Aladdin was endowed with all the qualifica-
tions requisite in one who aspired to be his son-in-law. The
sight alone of such immense riches, and Aladdin's quickness in
satisfying his demand, without starting the least difficulty at the
exorbitant conditions he had imposed, easily persuaded him that
he could want nothing to render him accomplished, and such as
he desired. Therefore, to send Aladdin's mother back with all
the satisfaction she could desire, he said to her: "My good lady,
go and tell your son that I wait with open arms to embrace
him, and the more haste he makes to come and receive the
princess, my daughter, from my hands, the greater pleasure
he will do me."

As soon as the tailor's widow had retired, overjoyed to see
her son raised to such exalted fortune, the sultan put an end to
the audience; and rising from his throne, ordered that the

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ALADDIN

princess's eunuchs should come and carry the trays into their
mistress's apartment, whither he went himself to examine them
with her at his leisure. The fourscore slaves were conducted
into the palace; and the sultan, telHng the princess of their
magnificent appearance, ordered them to be brought before her
apartment, that she might see through the lattices that he had
not exaggerated in his account of them.

In the meantime, Aladdin's mother got home, and shewed
in her countenance the good news she brought her son. **My
son," said she to him, "you have now all the reason in the world
to be pleased. The sultan, with the approbation of the whole
court, has declared that you are worthy to possess the Princess
Badroulboudour, and waits to embrace you, and conclude your
marriage; therefore, you must think of making preparations for
your interview, which may answer the high opinion he has
formed of your person."

Aladdin, enraptured with this news, made little reply, but
retired to his chamber. There, after he had rubbed the lamp,
which had never failed him, the obedient genie appeared.
"Genie," said Aladdin, "I want to bathe immediately, and you
must afterward provide me the richest and most magnificent
habit ever worn by a monarch." No sooner were the words out
of his mouth than the genie rendered him invisible, and trans-
ported him into a bath of the finest marble, where he was un-
dressed, without seeing by whom, in a magnificent and spacious
hall. From the hall he was led to the bath, which was of a
moderate heat, and he was there rubbed with various scented
waters. After he had passed through several degrees of heat, he
came out quite a different man from what he was before. His
skin was clear white and red, his body lightsome and free; and
when he returned into the hall, he found, instead of his own, a

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THE ARABIAN NIGHTS

suit the magnificence of which astonished him. The genie
helped him to dress, and when he had done, transported him
back to his own chamber, where he asked him if he had any other
commands? "Yes," answered Aladdin, "I expect you to bring
me as soon as possible a charger that surpasses in beauty and
goodness the best in the sultan's stables, with a saddle, bridle,
and other caparisons worth a million of money. I want also
twenty slaves, as richly clothed as those who carried the present
to the sultan, to walk by my side, and twenty more to go before
me in two ranks. Besides these, bring my mother six women
slaves to attend her, as richly dressed at least as any of the
Princess Badroulboudour's, each carrying a complete dress fit
for any sultaness. I want also ten thousand pieces of gold in
ten purses; go, and make haste."

As soon as Aladdin had given these orders, the genie disap-
peared, but presently returned with the horse, the forty slaves,
ten of whom carried each a purse containing ten thousand pieces
of gold, and six women slaves, each carrying on her head a differ-
ent dress for Aladdin's mother, wrapped up in a piece of silver
tissue.

Of the ten purses Aladdin took four, which he gave to his
mother, telling her, those were to supply her with necessaries;
the other six he left in the hands of the slaves who brought them,
with an order to throw them by handfuls among the people as
they w^ent to the sultan's palace. The six slaves who carried
the purses he ordered likewise to march before him, three on the
right hand and three on the left. Afterward he presented the
six women slaves to his mother, telling her that they were her
slaves, and that the dresses they had brought were for her use.

When Aladdin had thus settled matters, he told the genie
he would call for him when he wanted him, and thereupon the

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ALADDIN

genie disappeared. Aladdin's thoughts now were only upon
answering, as soon as possible, the desire the sultan had shewn
to see him. He despatched one of the forty slaves to the palace,
with an order to address himself to the chief of the porters, to
know when he might have the honour to come and throw himself
at the sultan's feet. The slave soon acquitted himself of his
commission, and brought for answer that the sultan waited for
him with impatience.

Aladdin immediately mounted his charger, and though he
never was on horseback before, appeared with such extraordinary
grace, that the most experienced horseman would not have taken
him for a novice. The streets through which he was to pass
were almost instantly filled with an innumerable concourse of
people, who made the air echo with their acclamations, especially
every time the six slaves who carried the purses threw handfuls
of gold among the populace. Neither did these shouts of joy
come from those alone who scrambled for the money, but from
a superior rank of people, who could not forbear applauding
Aladdin's generosity. Not only those w^ho knew him when he
played in the streets like a vagabond did not recollect him, but
those who saw him but a little while before hardly recognised
him, so much were his features altered: such were the effects of
the lamp, as to procure by degrees to those who possessed it
perfections suitable to the rank to which the right use of it ad-
vanced them. Much more attention was paid to Aladdin's
person than to the pomp and magnificence of his attendants, as
a similar show had been seen the day before, when the slaves
walked in procession with the present to the sultan. Neverthe-
less, the horse was much admired by good judges, who knew how
to discern his beauties, without being dazzled by the jewels and
richness of his furniture. When the report was everywhere

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THE ARABIAN NIGHTS

spread that the sultan was going to give the princess in marriage
to Aladdin, nobody regarded his birth, nor envied his good
fortune, so worthy he seemed of it in the public opinion.

When he arrived at the palace, everything was prepared for
his reception ; and when he came to the gate of the second court,
he would have alighted from his horse, agreeably to the custom
observed by the grand vizier, the commander-in-chief of the
empire, and governors of provinces of the first rank; but the
chief of the mace-bearers, who waited on him by the sultan's
order, prevented him, and attended him to the grand hall of
audience, where he helped him to dismount. The officers
formed themselves into two ranks at the entrance of the hall.
The chief put Aladdin on his right hand, and through the midst
of them led him to the sultan's throne.

As soon as the sultan perceived Aladdin, he was no less
surprised to see him more richly and magnificently habited than
ever he had been himself, than struck at his good mien, fine
shape, and a certain air of unexpected dignity, very different
from the meanness of his mother's late appearance.

But, notwithstanding, his amazement and surprise did not
hinder him from rising off his throne, and descending two or
three steps, quickly enough to prevent Aladdin's throwing himself
at his feet. He embraced him with all possible demonstrations
of joy at his arrival. After this civility Aladdin would have
thrown himself at his feet again ; but he held him fast by the hand,
and obliged him to sit close to the throne.

Aladdin then addressed the sultan, saying: "I receive the
honour which your majesty out of your great condescension is
pleased to confer; but permit me to assure you that I know the
greatness of your power, and that I am not insensible how much
my birth is below the lustre of the high rank to which I am raised,

[ 150 ]

ALADDIN

I ask your majesty's pardon for my rashness, but I cannot dis-
semble that I should die with grief were I to lose my hopes of
seeing myself united to the divine princess who is the object of
my wishes."

*'My son," answered the sultan, embracing him a second
time, "you would wrong me to doubt for a moment of my sin-
cerity: your life from this moment is too dear to me not to pre-
serve it, by presenting you with the remedy which is at my
disposal."

After these words, the sultan gave a signal, and immediately
the air echoed with the sound of trumpets, hautboys, and other
musical instruments: and at the same time he led Aladdin
into a magnificent hall, where was laid out a most splendid colla-
tion. The sultan and Aladdin ate by themselves, while the grand
vizier and the great lords of the court, according to their dignity
and rank, sat at different tables. The conversation turned on
different subjects; but all the while the sultan took so much
pleasure in looking at his intended son-in-law, that he hardly ever
took his eyes off him ; and throughout the whole of their conversa-
tion Aladdin shewed so much good sense, as confirmed the
sultan in the high opinion he had formed of him.

After the feast, the sultan sent for the chief judge of his
capital, and ordered him to draw up immediately a contract of
marriage between the Princess Badroulboudour, his daughter,
and Aladdin.

When the judge had drawn up the contract in all the requisite
forms, the sultan asked Aladdin if he would stay in the palace,
and solemnise the ceremonies of marriage that day; to which
he answered: "Sir, though great is my impatience to enjoy your
majesty's goodness, yet I beg of you to give me leave to defer it
till I have built a palace fit to receive the princess; therefore I

[ 151 ]

THE ARABIAN NIGHTS

petition you to grant me a convenient spot of ground near your
abode, that I may the more frequently pay my respects, and I
will take care to have it finished with all diligence." "Son,"
said the sultan, "take what ground you think proper, there is
space enough on every quarter round my palace; but consider,
I cannot see you too soon united with my daughter, which alone
is wanting to complete my happiness." After these words he em-
braced Aladdin again, who took his leave with as much politeness
as if he had been bred up and had always lived at court,

Aladdin returned home in the order he had come, amidst the
acclamations of the people, who wished him all happiness and
prosperity. As soon as he dismounted, he retired to his own
chamber, took the lamp, and called the genie as before, who in
the usual manner made him a tender of his service. "Genie,"
said Aladdin, "I have every reason to commend your exactness
in executing hitherto punctually whatever I have demanded;
but now, if you have any regard for the lamp, your protector,
you must shew, if possible, more zeal and diligence than ever.
I would have you build me, as soon as you can, a palace opposite,
but at a proper distance from, the sultan's, fit to receive my
spouse, the Princess Badroulboudour. I leave the choice of the
materials to you, that is to say, porphyry, jasper, agate, lapis
lazuli, or the finest marble of various colours, and also the archi-
tecture of the building. But I expect that on the terraced roof
of this palace you will build me a large hall crowned with a
dome, and having four equal fronts; and that instead of layers
of bricks, the walls be formed of massy gold and silver, laid
alternately : that each front shall contain six windows, the lattices
of all of which (except one, which must be left unfinished) shall
be so enriched in the most tasteful workmanship, with diamonds,
rubies, and emeralds, that they shall exceed anything of the kind

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ALADDIN

ever seen in the world. I would have an inner and outer court
in front of the palace, and a spacious garden ; but above all things,
take care that there be laid in a place which you shall point out
to me, a treasure of gold and silver coin. Besides, the edifice
must be well provided with kitchens and ofiices, storehouses,
and rooms to keep choice furniture in, for every season of the
year. I must have stables full of the finest horses, with their
equerries and grooms, and hunting equipage. There must be
ofiicers to attend the kitchens and offices, and women slaves to
wait on the princess. You understand what I mean; therefore
go about it, and come and tell me when all is finished."

By the time Aladdin had instructed the genie respecting the
building of his palace, the sun was set. The next morning,
before break of day, our bridegroom, whose love for the princess
would not let him sleep, was up, when the genie presented
himself and said: "Sir, your palace is finished; come and see
how you like it." Aladdin had no sooner signified his consent,
than the genie transported him thither in an instant, and he found
it so much beyond his expectation, that he could not enough
admire it. The genie led him through all the apartments, where
he met with nothing but what was rich and magnificent, with
officers and slaves all habited according to their rank and the
services to which they were appointed. The genie then shewed
him the treasury, which was opened by a treasurer, where Aladdin
saw heaps of purses, of different sizes, piled up to the top of the
ceiling, and disposed in most excellent order. The genie assured
him of the treasurer's fidelity, and thence led him to the stables,
where he shewed him some of the finest horses in the world, and
the grooms busy in dressing them ; from thence they went to the
storehouses, which were filled with all things necessary, both for
food and ornament.

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THE ARABIAN NIGHTS

When Aladdin had examined the palace from top to bottom,
and particularly the hall with the four and twenty windows, and
found it much beyond whatever he could have imagined, he said :
*' Genie, no one can be better satisfied than I am; and indeed I
should be much to blame if I found any fault. There is only one
thing wanting which I forgot to mention ; that is, to lay from the
sultan's palace to the door of the apartment designed for the
princess, a carpet of fine velvet for her to walk upon." The
genie immediately disappeared, and Aladdin saw what he de-
sired executed in an instant. The genie then returned, and
carried him home before the gates of the sultan's palace were
opened.

When the porters, who had always been used to an open
prospect, came to open the gates, they were amazed to find it
obstructed, and to see a carpet of velvet spread from the grand
entrance. They did not immediately look how far it extended,
but when they could discern Aladdin's palace distinctly, their
surprise was increased. The news of so extraordinary a wonder
was presently spread through the palace. The grand vizier,
who arrived soon after the gates were open, being no less amazed
than others at this novelty, ran and acquainted the sultan, but
endeavoured to make him believe it to be all enchantment.
*' Vizier," replied the sultan, "why will you have it to be enchant-
ment ? You know as well as I that it must be Aladdin's palace,
which I gave him leave to build, for the reception of my daughter.
After the proof we have had of his riches, can we think it strange
that he should raise a palace in so short a time ? He w^ished to
surprise us, and let us see what wonders are to be done with
money in only one night. Confess sincerely that the enchantment
you talk of proceeds from a little envy on account of your son's
disappointment."

[ 154 ]

ALADDIN

When Aladdin had been conveyed home, and had dismissed
the genie, he found his mother up, and dressing herself in one of
those suits which had been brought her. By the time the sultan
rose from the council, Aladdin had prepared his mother to go
to the palace with her slaves, and desired her, if she saw the
sultan, to tell him she should do herself the honour toward
evening to attend the princess to her palace. Accordingly she
went; but though she and the women slaves who followed her
were all dressed like sultanesses, yet the crowd was not near so
great as the preceding day, because they were all veiled, and each
had on an upper garment agreeable to the richness and magnifi-
cence of their habits. Aladdin, taking care not to forget his
wonderful lamp, mounted his horse, left his paternal home for-
ever, and went to the palace in the same pomp as the day before.

As soon as the porters of the sultan's palace saw Aladdin's
mother, they went and informed the sultan, who immediately
ordered the bands of trumpets, cymbals, drums, fifes, and haut-
boys, placed in different parts of the palace, to play, so that the
air resounded with concerts w^hich inspired the whole city with
joy: the merchants began to adorn their shops and houses with
fine carpets and silks, and to prepare illuminations against night.
The artisans of every description left their work, and the populace
repaired to the great space between the royal palace and that of
Aladdin; which last drew all their attention, not only because
it was new to them, but because there was no comparison between
the two buildings. But their amazement was to comprehend
by what unheard-of miracle so magnificent a palace could have
been so soon erected, it being apparent to all that there were no
prepared materials, or any foundations laid the day before.

Aladdin's mother was received in the palace with honour,
and introduced into the Princess Badroulboudour's apartment

[155]

THE ARABIAN NIGHTS

by the chief of the eunuchs. As soon as the princess saw her,
she rose, saluted, and desired her to sit down on a sofa; and
while her women finished dressing, and adorning her with the
jewels which Aladdin had presented to her, a collation was served
up. At the same time the sultan, who wished to be as much with
his daughter as possible before he parted with her, came in and
paid the old lady great respect. Aladdin's mother had talked to
the sultan in public, but he had never seen her with her veil off,
as she was then; and though she was somewhat advanced in
years, she had the remains of a good face, which showed what she
had been in her youth. The sultan, who had always seen her
dressed very meanly, not to say poorly, was surprised to find her
as richly and magnificently attired as the princess, his daughter.
This made him think Aladdin equally prudent and wise in what-
ever he undertook.

When it was night, the princess left her own apartment for
Aladdin's palace, with his mother on her left hand carried in a
superb litter, followed by a hundred women slaves, dressed
with surprising magnificence. All the bands of music, which
had played from the time Aladdin's mother arrived, being joined
together, led the procession, followed by a hundred state ushers,
and the like number of black eunuchs, in two files, with their
officers at their head. Four hundred of the sultan's young pages
carried flambeaux on each side, which, together with the illumina-
tions of the sultan's and Aladdin's palaces, made it as light as
day.

At length the princess arrived at the new palace and Aladdin
ran with all imaginable joy to receive her at the grand entrance.
His mother had taken care to point him out to the princess, in the
midst of the officers who surrounded him, and she was charmed
with his person. "Adorable princess," said Aladdin, accosting

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ALADDIN

her, and saluting her respectfully, as soon as she had entered her
apartment, *'if I have the misfortune to have displeased you by
my boldness in aspiring to the possession of so lovely a creature,
I must tell you, that you ought to blame your bright eyes and
charms, not me." "Prince," answered the princess, "I am
obedient to the will of my father; and it is enough for me to have
seen you, to tell you that I obey without reluctance."

Aladdin, charmed with so agreeable an answer, would not
keep the princess standing; but took her by the hand, which he
kissed with the greatest demonstration of joy, and led her into
a large hall, illuminated with an infinite number of wax candles;
where, by the care of the genie, a noble feast was served up.
The dishes were of massy gold, and contained the most delicate
viands, and all the other ornaments and embellishments of the
hall were answerable to this display. The princess, dazzled to
see so much riches, said to Aladdin: "I thought, prince, that
nothing in the world was so beautiful as the sultan my father's
palace, but the sight of this hall alone is sufficient to shew I was
deceived."

Then Aladdin led the princess to the place appointed for her,
and as soon as she and his mother were seated, a band of the most
harmonious instruments, accompanied with the voices of beauti-
ful ladies, began a concert, which lasted without intermission
to the end of the repast. The princess was so charmed, that she
declared she had never heard anything like it in the sultan her
father's court; but she knew not that these musicians were
fairies chosen by the genie, the slave of the lamp.

When the supper was ended, there entered a company of
female dancers, who performed, according to the custom of the
country, several figure dances, singing at the same time verses in
praise of the bride and bridegroom. About midnight the happy

[157]

THE ARABIAN NIGHTS

pair retired to their apartments and the nuptial ceremonies were
at an end.

The next morning, when Aladdin arose, his attendants pre-
sented themselves to dress him, and brought him another habit
as magnificent as that worn the day before. He then ordered one
of the horses appointed for his use to be got ready, mounted him,
and went in the midst of a large troop of slaves to the sultan's
palace. The sultan received him with the same honours as
before, embraced him, placed him on the throne near him, and
ordered a collation. Aladdin said: "I beg your majesty will
dispense with my eating with you to-day; I came to entreat you
to take a repast in the princess's palace, attended by your grand
vizier, and all the lords of your court." The sultan consented
with pleasure, rose up immediately, and, preceded by the prin-
cipal officers of his palace, and followed by all the great lords of
his court, accompanied Aladdin.

The nearer the sultan approached Aladdin's palace, the more
he was struck with its beauty, but was much more amazed when
he entered it; and could not forbear breaking out into exclama-
tions of approbation. But when he came into the hall, and cast
his eyes on the windows, enriched with diamonds, rubies, emer-
alds, all large perfect stones, he was so much surprised, that he
remained some time motionless. After he recovered himself,
he said to his vizier: "Is it possible that there should be such a
stately palace so near my own, and I be an utter stranger to it till
now?" "Sir," replied the grand vizier, "your majesty may
remember that the day before yesterday you gave Aladdin, whom
you accepted for a son-in-law, leave to build a palace opposite
your ow^n, and that very day at sunset there was no palace on this
spot, but yesterday I had the honour first to tell you that the palace
was built and finished." "I remember," replied the sultan,

[ 158 ]

ALADDIN

""but never imagined that the palace was one of the wonders of
the world; for where in all the world besides shall we find
walls built of massy gold and silver, instead of brick, stone, or
marble; and diamonds, rubies, and emeralds composing the
windows!"

The sultan would examine and admire the beauty of all the
windows, and counting them, found that there were but three
and twenty so richly adorned, and he was greatly astonished
that the twenty-fourth was left imperfect. "Vizier," said he,
for that minister made a point of never leaving him, "I am sur-
prised that a hall of this magnificence should be left thus im-
perfect." "Sir," replied the grand vizier, "without doubt
Aladdin only wanted time to finish this window like the rest; for
it is not to be supposed but that he has sufficient jewels for
the purpose, or that he will not complete it at the first oppor-
tunity."

Aladdin, who had left the sultan to go and give some orders,
returned just as the vizier had finished his remark. "Son,"
said the sultan to him, "this hall is the most worthy of admiration
of any in the world; there is only one thing that surprises me,
which is, to find one of the windows unfinished. Is it from the
forgetfulness or negligence of the workmen, or want of time, that
they have not put the finishing stroke to so beautiful a piece of
architecture.?" "Sir," answered Aladdin, "it was for none of
these reasons that your majesty sees it in this state. The
omission was by design ; it was by my orders that the workmen
left it thus, since I wished that your majesty should have the glory
of finishing this hall." "If you did it with this intention,"
replied the sultan, "I take it kindly, and will give orders about it
immediately." He accordingly sent for the most considerable
jewellers and goldsmiths in his capital.

[ 159 ]

THE ARABIAN NIGHTS

Aladdin then conducted the sultan into the saloon where
he had regaled his bride the preceding night. The princess
entered immediately afterward, and received her father with an
air that shewed how much she was satisfied with her marriage.
Two tables were immediately spread with the most delicious
meats, all served up in gold dishes. The sultan was much
pleased w^ith the cookery, and owned he had never eaten anything
more excellent. He said the same of the wines, which were
delicious ; but what he most of all admired were four large buf-
fets, profusely furnished with large flagons, basins, and cups, all
of massy gold, set with jewels.

When the sultan rose from table, he was informed that the
jewellers and goldsmiths attended; upon which he returned
to the hall, and shewed them the window which was unfinished :
*'I sent for you," said he, "to fit up this window in as great per-
fection as the rest; examine w^ell, and make all the despatch
you can."

The jewellers and goldsmiths examined the three and twenty
windows with great attention, and after they had consulted to-
gether they returned and presented themselves before the sultan,
when the principal jeweller, undertaking to speak for the rest,
said: "Sir, we are all willing to exert our utmost care and
industry to obey your majesty; but among us all we cannot
furnish jewels enough for so great a work." "I have more than
are necessary," said the sultan; "come to my palace, and you
shall choose what may answer your purpose."

When the sultan returned to his palace, he ordered his
jewels to be brought out, and the jewellers took a great quantity,
particularly those Aladdin had made him a present of, which
they soon used, without making any great advance in their work.
They came again several times for more, and in a month's time

[ 160 ]

ALADDIN

bad not finished half then- work. In short, they used all the
jewels the sultan had, and borrowed of the vizier, but yet the
work was not half done.

Aladdin, who knew that all the sultan's endeavours to make
this window like the rest were in vain, sent for the jewellers and
goldsmiths, and not only commanded them to desist from their
work, but ordered them to undo what they had begun, and to
carry all their jewels back to the sultan and to the vizier. They
undid in a few hours what they had been six weeks about, and
retired, leaving Aladdin alone in the hall. He took the lamp,
which he carried about him, rubbed it, and presently the genie
appeared. "Genie," said Aladdin, "I ordered thee to leave one
of the four and twenty windows of this hall imperfect and thou
hast executed my commands punctually ; now I would have thee
make it like the rest." The genie immediately disappeared.
Aladdin went out of the hall, and returning soon after, found the
w^indow like the others.

In the meantime, the jewellers and goldsmiths repaired to the
palace, and were introduced into the sultan's presence; where
the chief jeweller, presenting the precious stones which he had
brought back, said, in the name of all the rest: "Your majesty
knows how long we have been upon the work you were pleased
to set us about, in which we used all imaginable industry. It was
far advanced, when Prince Aladdin commanded us not only to
leave off, but to undo what we had already begun, and bring
your majesty your jewels back." The sultan asked them if
Aladdin had given them any reason for so doing, and they
answering that he had given them none, he ordered a horse to be
brought, which he mounted, and rode to his son-in-law's palace,
with some few attendants on foot. When he came there, he
alighted at the staircase, which led to the hall with the twenty-

[ 161 ]

THE ARABIAN NIGHTS

four windows, and went directly up to it, without giving previous
notice to Aladdin; but it happened that at that very juncture
Aladdin was opportunely there, and had just time to receive him
at the door.

The sultan, without giving Aladdin time to complain obligingly
of his not having given notice, that he might have acquitted him-
self with the more becoming respect, said to him: "Son, I come
myself to know the reason why you commanded the jewellers to
desist from work, and take to pieces what they had done."

Aladdin disguised the true reason, which was, that the sultan
was not rich enough in jewels to be at so great an expense, but
said: *'I beg of you now to see if anything is wanting."

The sultan went directly to the window which was left im-
perfect, and when he found it like the rest, fancied that he was
mistaken, examined the two windows on each side, and after-
ward all the four and twenty; but when he was convinced that
the window which several workmen had been so long* about was
finished in so short a time, he embraced Aladdin, and kissed
him between his eyes. "My son," said he, "what a man you
are to do such surprising things always in the twinkling of an eye :
there is not your fellow in the world ; the more I know, the more
I admire you."

Aladdin received these praises from the sultan with modesty,
and replied in these words: "Sir, it is a great honour to me to
deserve your majesty's good-will and approbation, and I assure
you, I shall study to deserve them more."

The sultan returned to his palace, but would not let Aladdin
attend him. When he came there, he found his grand vizier
waiting, to whom he related the wonder he had witnessed with
the utmost admiration, and in such terms as left the minister no
room to doubt but that the fact was as the sultan related it;

[ 162 ]

ALADDIN

though he was the more confirmed in his belief that Aladdin's
palace was the effect of enchantment, as he had told the sultan
the first moment he saw it. He was going to repeat the observa-
tion, but the sultan interrupted him, and said: "You told me so
once before; I see, vizier, you have not forgotten your son's
espousals to my daughter." The grand vizier plainly saw how
much the sultan was prepossessed, therefore avoided disputes,
and let him remain in his own opinion. The sultan as soon as
he rose every morning went into the closet, to look at Aladdin's
palace, and would go many times in a day to contemplate and
admire it.

Aladdin did not confine himself in his palace; but took
care to show himself once or twice a week in the town, by going
sometimes to one mosque, and sometimes to another, to prayers ;
or to visit the grand vizier, who affected to pay his court to him on
certain days; or to do the principal lords of the court the honour
to return their visits after he had regaled them at his palace.
Every time he went out, he caused two slaves, who walked by
the side of his horse, to throw handfuls of money among the people
as he passed through the streets and squares, which were gen-
erally on these occasions crowded. Besides, no one came to
his palace gates to ask alms but returned satisfied with his
liberality. In short, he so divided his time, that not a week
passed but he went either once or twice a-hunting, sometimes in
the environs of the city, sometimes farther off; at which time the
villages through which he passed felt the effects of his generosity,
which gained him the love and blessings of the people; and it
was common for them to swear by his head. With all these good
qualities he showed a zeal for the public good which could not be
suJSaciently applauded. He gave sufficient proofs of both in a
revolt on the borders of the kingdom ; for he no sooner understood

[ 163 ]

THE ARABIAN NIGHTS

that the sultan was levying an army to disperse the rebels than
he begged the command of it, which he found not difficult to
obtain. As soon as he was empowered, he marched with so
much expedition, that the sultan heard of the defeat of the rebels
before he had received an account of his son-in-law's arrival in
the army.

Aladdin had conducted himself in this manner several years,
when the African magician, who undesignedly had been the
instrument of raising him to so high a pitch of prosperity, recalled
him to his recollection in Africa, whither, after his expedition, he
had returned. And though he was almost persuaded that
Aladdin must have died miserably in the subterranean abode
where he had left him, yet he had the curiosity to inform himself
about his end with certainty ; and as he was a great geomancer,
he took out of a cupboard a square, covered box, which he used
in his geomantic observations. After he had prepared and levelled
the sand which was in it with an intention to discover whether
or not Aladdin had died, he cast the points, drew the figures, and
formed a horoscope, by which, when he came to examine it, he
found that instead of dying in the cave, his victim had made his
escape, lived splendidly, was in possession of the wonderful
lamp, had married a princess, and was much honoured and
respected.

The magician no sooner understood, by the rules of his
diabolical art, that Aladdin had arrived to this height of good
fortune, than his face became inflamed with anger, and he cried
out in a rage: "This sorry tailor's son has discovered the secret
and virtue of the lamp! I believed his death to be certain; but
find that he enjoys the fruit of my labour and study! I will,
however, prevent his enjoying it long, or perish in the attempt."
He was not a great while deliberating on what he should do, but

[ 164 ]

ALADDIN

the next morning mounted a barb, set forward, and never
stopped but to refresh himself and his horse, till he arrived at the
capital of China. He alighted, took up his lodging in a khan,
and stayed there the remainder of the day and the night.

The next day, his first object was to inquire what people said
of Aladdin; and, taking a walk through the town, he went to
the most public and frequented places, where persons of the best
distinction met to drink a certain warm liquor, which he had
drunk often during his former visit. As soon as he had seated
himself, he was presented with a cup of it, which he took; but
listening at the same time to the discourse of the company on each
side of him, he heard them talking of Aladdin's palace. When
he had drunk off his liquor, he joined them, and taking this
opportunity, inquired particularly of what palace they spoke
with so much commendation. "From whence come you.''" said
the person to whom he addressed himself; "you must certainly
be a stranger not to have seen or heard talk of Prince Aladdin's
palace. I do not say," continued the man, "that it is one of the
wonders of the world, but that it is the only wonder of the world ;
since nothing so grand, rich, and magnificent was ever beheld.
Go and see it, and then judge whether I have told you more than
the truth." ''Forgive my ignorance," replied the African
magician; "I arrived here but yesterday from the farthest part
of Africa, where the fame of this palace had not reached when I
came away. The business which brought me hither was so
urgent, that my sole object was to arrive as soon as I could,
without stopping anywhere, or making any acquaintance. But
I will not fail to go and see it , if you will do me the favour to show
me the way thither."

The person to whom the African magician addressed himself
took a pleasure in showing him the way to Aladdin's palace, and

[ 165 ]

THE ARABIAN NIGHTS

he got up and went thither instantly. When he came to the
palace, and had examined it on all sides, he doubted not but that
Aladdin had made use of the lamp to build it. Without attend-
ing to the inability of a poor tailor's son, he knew that none but
the genies, the slaves of the lamp, could have performed such
wonders; and piqued to the quick at Aladdin's happiness and
splendour, he returned to the khan where he lodged.

The next point was to ascertain where the lamp was ; whether
Aladdin carried it about with him, or where he kept it; and this
he was to discover by an operation of geomancy. As soon as he
entered his lodging, he took his square box of sand, which he
always carried with him when he travelled, and after he had
performed some operatio:^s, he found that the lamp was in
Aladdin's palace, and so great was his joy at the discovery that
he could hardly contain himself. "Well," said he, '*I shall
have the lamp, and I defy Aladdin to prevent my carrying it off,
thus making him sink to his original meanness, from which he
has taken so high a flight."

It was Aladdin's misfortune at that time to be absent in the
chase for eight days, and only three were expired, which the magi-
cian came to know. After he had performed the magical opera-
tion he went to the superintendent of the khan, entered into
conversation with him on indifferent subjects, and among the
rest, told him he had been to see Aladdin's palace; and after
exaggerating on all that he had seen most worthy of observation,
added: "But my curiosity leads me further, and I shall not be
satisfied till I have seen the person to whom this wonderful edifice
belongs." "That will be no difficult matter," replied the master
of the khan; "there is not a day passes but he gives an oppor-
tunity when he is in town, but at present he has been gone these
three days on a hunting-match, which will last eight."

[ 166 ]

ALADDIN

The magician wanted to know no more; he took his leave of
the superintendent of the khan, and returning to his own chamber,
said to himself: "This is an opportunity I ought by no means to
neglect." To that end, he went to a coppersmith and asked
for a dozen copper lamps : the master of the shop told him he had
not so many by him, but if he would have patience till the next
day, he would have them ready. The magician appointed his
time, and desired him to take care that they should be handsome
and well polished. After promising to pay him well, he returned
to his inn.

The next day the magician called for the twelve lamps, paid
the man his full price, put them into a basket which he bought on
purpose, and with the basket hanging on his arm, went directly
to Aladdin's palace; as he approached beginning to cry: "Who
will change old lamps for new ones ? " As he went along, a crowd
of children collected, who hooted, and thought him, as did all who
chanced to be passing by, a madman or a fool.

The African magician regarded not their scoffs, hootings, or
all they could say to hirn, but still continued crying: "Who will
change old lamps for new .^" He repeated this so often, walking
backward and forward in front of the palace, that the princess,
who was then in the hall with the four and twenty windows,
hearing a man cry something and not being able to distinguish his
words, owing to the hooting of the children, and increasing mob
about him, sent one of her women slaves to know what he cried.

The slave was not long before she returned, and ran into the
hall, laughing so heartily that the princess could not forbear
herself. "Well, giggler," said the princess, "will you tell me
what you laugh at.^" "Madam," answered the slave, laughing
still, "who can forbear laughing, to see a fool with a basket on his
arm, full of fine new lamps, ask to change them for old ones.^"

[ 167 ]

THE ARABIAN NIGHTS

Another female slave hearing this, said: *'Now you speak of
lamps, I know not whether the princess may have observed it,
but there is an old one upon a shelf of the prince's robing-room.
If the princess chooses, she may have the pleasure of trying if
this fool is so silly as to give a new lamp for an old one, without
taking anything for the exchange."

The lamp this slave spoke of was the wonderful lamp, which
Aladdin had laid upon the shelf before he departed for the chase :
this he had done several times before; but neither the princess, the
slaves, nor the eunuchs had ever taken notice of it. At all other
times except when hunting he carried it about his person.

The princess, who knew not the value of this lamp, and the
interest that Aladdin, not to mention herself, had to keep it safe,
entered into the pleasantry, and commanded a eunuch to take
it and make the exchange. The eunuch obeyed, went out of the
hall, and no sooner got to the palace gates than he saw the African
magician, called to him, and showing him the old lamp, said:
"Give me a new lamp for this ?''

The magician never doubted but this was the lamp he wanted.
There could be no other such in the palace, where every utensil
was gold or silver. He snatched it eagerly out of the eunuch's
hand, and thrusting it as far as he could into his breast, offered
him his basket, and bade him choose which he liked best. The
eunuch picked out one, and carried it to the princess; but the
exchange was no sooner made than the place rang with the shouts
of the children, deriding the magician's folly.

The African magician gave everybody leave to laugh as much
as they pleased ; he stayed not long near the palace, but made the
best of his way, without crying any longer: "New lamps for old
ones." His end was answered, and by his silence he got rid of
the children and the mob.

[ 168 ]

ALADDIN

As soon as he was out of the square between the two palaces,
he hastened down the streets which were the least frequented;
and having no more occasion for his lamps or basket, set all down
in an alley where nobody saw him: then going down another
street or two, he walked till he came to one of the city gates,
and pursuing his way through the suburbs, which were very
extensive, at length reached a lonely spot, where he stopped for
a time to execute the design he had in contemplation, never caring
for his horse which he had left at the khan; but thinking himself
perfectly compensated by the treasure he had acquired.

In this place the African magician passed the remainder of the
day, till the darkest time of night, when he pulled the lamp out
of his breast and rubbed it. At that summons the genie appeared,
and said : " What wouldst thou have ? I am ready to obey thee as
thy slave, and the slave of all those who have that lamp in their
hands; both I and the other slaves of the lamp." "I command
thee," replied the magician, *' to transport me immediately and the
palace which thou and the other slaves of the lamp have built in
this city, with all the people in it, to Africa." The genie made
no reply, but with the assistance of the other genies, the slaves
of the lamp immediately transported him, and the palace entire,
to the spot whither he was desired to convey it.

As soon as the sultan rose the next morning, according to
custom, he went into his closet, to have the pleasure of con-
templating and admiring Aladdin's palace; but when he first
looked that way, and instead of a palace saw an empty space such
as it was before the palace was built, he thought he was mistaken,
and rubbed his eyes; but when he looked again, he still saw
nothing more the second time than the first, though the weather
was fine, the sky clear, and the dawn advancing had made all
objects very distinct. He looked again in front, to the right and

[ 169 ]

THE ARABIAN NIGHTS

left, but beheld nothing more than he had formerly been used to

see from his window. His amazement was so great, that he stood

for some time turning his eyes to the spot where the palace had

stood, but where it was no longer to be seen. He could not

comprehend how so large a palace as Aladdin's, which he

had seen plainly every day for some years, and but the day

before, should vanish so soon, and not leave the least remains

behind.

"Certainly," said he to himself, "I am not mistaken; it

stood there: if it had fallen, the materials would have lain in
heaps ; and if it had been swallowed up by an earthquake, there
would be some mark left." At last he retired to his apartment,
not without looking behind him before he quitted the spot, ordered
the grand vizier to be sent for with expedition, and in the mean-
time sat down, his mind agitated by so many different conjectures
that he knew not what to resolve.

The grand vizier did not make the sultan wait long for him,
but came with so much precipitation, that neither he nor his
attendants, as they passed, missed Aladdin's palace; neither
did the porters, when they opened the palace gates, observe any
alteration.

When he came into the sultan's presence, he said to him:
"The haste in which your majesty sent for me makes me believe
something extraordinary has happened, since you know this is
a day of public audience, and I should not have failed of attend-
ing at the usual time." "Indeed," said the sultan, "it is some-
thing very extraordinary, as you say, and you will allow it to be
so: tellme what is become of Aladdin's palace.^" "His palace!"
replied the grand vizier in amazement; "I thought as I passed
it stood in its usual place." "Go into my closet," said the
sultan, "and tell me if you can see it."

[ 170 ]

ALADDIN

The grand vizier went into the closet, where he was struck
w^ith no less amazement than the sultan had been. When he
was well assured that there was not the least appearance of the
palace, he returned to the sultan. "Well," said the sultan,
*'have you seen Aladdin's palace .^" "No," answered the vizier,
"but your majesty may remember, that I had the honour to tell
you, that the edifice, which was the subject of your admiration,
was only the work of magic and a magician; but your majesty
would not pay the least attention to what I said." The sultan,
who could not deny what the grand vizier had represented to
him, flew into the greater passion: "Where is that impostor,
that wicked wretch," said he, "that I may have his head taken
off immediately?" "Sir," replied the grand vizier, "it is some
days since he came to take his leave of your majesty, on pretence
of hunting ; he ought to be sent for, to know what is become of his
palace, since he cannot be ignorant of what has been transacted."
"To send for him would be too great an indulgence," replied
the sultan: "command a detachment of horse to bring him to
me loaded with chains." The grand vizier gave orders for a
detachment, and instructed the officer who commanded the men
how they were to act, that Aladdin might not escape. The
detachment pursued its orders ; and about five or six leagues from
the town met him returning from the chase. The officer ad-
vanced respectfully, and informed him the sultan was so im-
patient to see him, that he had sent his party to accompany him
home.

Aladdin had not the least suspicion of the true reason of their
meeting him ; but when he came within half a league of the city,
the detachment surrounded him, when the officer addressed him-
self to him, and said :" Prince, it is with great regret that I declare
to you the sultan's order to arrest you, and to carry you before him

[ 171 ]

THE ARABIAN NIGHTS

as a criminal : I beg of you not to take it ill that we acquit our-
selves of our duty, and to forgive us." Aladdin, who felt himself
innocent, was much surprised at this declaration, and asked the
officer if he knew what crime he was accused of; who replied,
he did not. Then Aladdin, finding that his retinue was much
inferior to this detachment, alighted from his horse, and said to
the officers: "Execute your orders; I am not conscious that I
have committed any offence against the sultan's person or govern-
ment." A heavy chain was immediately put about his neck, and
fastened round his body, so that both his arms were pinioned
down ; the officer then put himself at the head of the detachment,
and one of the troopers taking hold of the end of the chain and
proceeding after the officer, led Aladdin, who was obliged to
follow him on foot, into the city.

When this detachment entered the suburbs, the people, who
saw Aladdin thus led as a state criminal, never doubted but that
his head was to be cut off; and as he was generally beloved, some
took sabres and other arms; and those who had none gathered
stones, and followed the escort. Their numbers presently
increased so much, that the soldiery began to think it would be
well if they could get into the sultan's palace before Aladdin w^as
rescued; to prevent which, according to the different extent of
the streets, they took care to cover the ground by extending or
closing. In this manner they with much difficulty arrived at the
palace square, and there drew up in a line, till their officer and
troopers with Aladdin had got within the gates, which were
immediately shut.

Aladdin was carried before the sultan, who waited for him,
attended by the grand vizier; and as soon as he saw him he
ordered the executioner, who waited there for the purpose, to
strike off his head without hearing him, or giving him leave to

[ 172 ]

ALADDIN

clear himself. As soon as the executioner had taken off the chain
that was fastened about Aladdin's neck and body, he made the
supposed criminal kneel down, and tied a bandage over his eyes.
Then drawing his sabre, he took his aim by flourishing it three
times in the air, waiting for the sultan's giving the signal to strike.

At that instant the grand vizier perceiving that the populace
had crowded the great square before the palace, and were
scaling the walls in several places, said to the sultan, before he
gave the signal: "I beg of your majesty to consider what you are
going to do, since you will hazard your palace being destroyed;
and who knows what fatal consequence may follow.?" "My
palace forced ! " replied the sultan ; " who can have that audacity.? "
"Sir," answered the grand vizier, "if your majesty will but cast
your eyes toward the great square, and on the palace walls, you
will perceive the truth of what I say."

The sultan was so much alarmed when he saw so great a
crowd, and how enraged they were, that he ordered the execu-
tioner to put his sabre immediately into the scabbard, to unbind
Aladdin, and at the same time commanded the porters to declare
to the people that the sultan had pardoned him, and that they
might retire. Those who had already got upon the walls
abandoned their design and got quickly down, overjoyed that
they had saved the life of a man they dearly loved, and published
the news amongst the rest, which was presently confirmed by
the mace-bearers from the top of the terraces. The justice which
the sultan had done to Aladdin soon disarmed the populace of
their rage; the tumult abated and the mob dispersed.

T\Tien Aladdin found himself at liberty, he turned toward
the balcony, and perceiving the sultan, raised his voice, and said
to him in a moving manner: "I beg of your majesty to add one
favour more to that which I have already received, which is, to

[ 173 ]

THE ARABIAN NIGHTS

let me know my crime?" "Your crime," answered the sultan;
** perfidious wretch! Do you not know it? Come hither, and I
will show it you." Aladdin went up, when the sultan, going
before him without looking at him, said: "Follow me"; and then
led him into his closet. When he came to the door, he said : " Go
in; you ought to know whereabouts your palace stood: look
round and tell me what is become of it ?"

Aladdin looked, but saw nothing. He perceived the spot
upon which his palace had stood; but not being able to divine
how it had disappeared, was thrown into such great confusion
and amazement that he could not return one word of answer.
The sultan, growing impatient, demanded of him again: "Where
is your palace, and what is become of my daughter ?" Aladdin,
breaking silence, replied : " Sir, I perceive and own that the palace
which I have built is not in its place, but is vanished ; neither can
I tell your majesty where it may be, but can assure you I had no
concern in its removal."

"I am not so much concerned about your palace," replied
the sultan; "I value my daughter ten thousand times more, and
would have you find her out, otherwise I will cause your head to
be struck off, and no consideration shall divert me from my
purpose."

*'I beg of your majesty," answered Aladdin, "to grant me
forty days to make my inquiries; and if in that time I have not
the success I wish, I will offer my head at the foot of your throne,
to be disposed of at your pleasure." "I give you the forty days
you ask, "said the sultan; "but think not to escape my resent-
ment if you fail ; for I will find you out in whatsoever part of the
world you may conceal yourself."

Aladdin went out of the sultan's presence with great humilia-
tion, and in a condition worthy of pity. He crossed the courts

[ 174 ]

ALADDIN

of the palace, hanging down his head, and in such great confusion
that he durst not lift up his eyes. The principal oflScers of the
court, who had all professed themselves his friends, instead of
going up to him to comfort him, turned their backs to avoid
seeing him. But had they accosted him with an offer of service,
they would have no more known Aladdin. He did not know
himself, and w^as no longer in his senses, as plainly appeared by
his asking everybody he met, and at every house, if they had seen
his palace, or could tell him any news of it. These questions
made the generality believe that Aladdin was mad. Some
laughed at him, but people of sense and humanity, particularly
those who had had any connection of business or friendship with
him, really pitied him. For three days he rambled about the
■city in this manner, without coming to any resolution or eating
anything but what some compassionate people forced him to take
out of charity. At last he took the road to the country; and
after he had traversed several fields in wild uncertainty, at the
approach of night came to the bank of a river. There, possessed
by his despair, he said to himself: " Where shall I seek my palace ?
In what province, country, or part of the world, shall I find that
and my dear princess ? I shall never succeed ; I would better free
myself at once from fruitless endeavours, and such bitter grief
as preys upon me." He was just going to throw himself into the
river, but, as a good Mussulman, true to his religion, he thought
he should not do it without first saying his prayers. Going to
prepare himself, he went to the river's brink, in order to perform
the usual ablutions. The place being steep and slippery, he slid
down, and had certainly fallen into the river, but for a little rock,
which projected about two feet out of the earth. Happily also
for him, he still had on the ring which the African magician had
put on his finger before he went down into the subterranean abode

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THE ARABIAN NIGHTS

to fetch the precious lamp. In slipping down the bank he rubbed
the ring so hard by holding on the rock, that immediately the
same genie appeared whom he had seen in the cave where the
magician had left him. "What wouldst thou have.^" said the
genie. "I am ready to obey thee as thy slave, and the slave of
all those that have that ring on their finger ; both I and the other
slaves of the ring."

Aladdin, agreeably surprised at an apparition he so little
expected in his present calamity, replied: "Save my life, genie,
a second time, either by showing me to the place where the palace
I caused to be built now stands, or immediately transporting it
back where it first stood." "What you command me," answered
the genie, "is not wholly in my power; I am only the slave of
the ring; you must address yourself to the slave of the lamp."
"If that be the case," replied Aladdin, "I command thee, by the
power of the ring, to transport me to the spot where my palace
stands, in what part of the world soever it may be, and set me
down under the window of the Princess Badroulboudour." These
words were no sooner out of his mouth than the genie transported
him into Africa, to the midst of a large plain, where his palace
stood, and placing him exactly under the window of the princess's
apartment, left him. All this was done almost in an instant.
Aladdin, notwithstanding the darkness of the night, knew his
palace again; but as the night was far advanced and all was
quiet, he retired to some distance, and sat down at the foot of a
large tree. There, full of hopes, and reflecting on his happiness,
for which he was indebted to chance, he found himself in a much
more comfortable situation than when he was arrested and
carried before the sultan, being now delivered from the imme-
diate danger of losing his life. He amused himself for some
time with these agreeable thoughts ; but not having slept for two

[ 176 ]

ALADDIN

days, was unable to resist the drowsiness which came upon him,
but fell fast asleep.

The next morning, as soon as day appeared, Aladdin was
agreeably awakened by the singing not only of the birds which
had roosted in the tree under which he had passed the night, but
also of those which frequented the thick groves of the palace
garden. When he cast his eyes on that wonderful edifice, he
felt inexpressible joy at thinking he might soon be master of it
again, and once more greet his dear Princess Badroulboudour.
Pleased with these hopes, he immediately arose, went toward
the princess's apartment, and walked some time under her win-
dow in expectation of her rising, that he might see her. During
this expectation, he began to consider with himself whence the
cause of his misfortune had proceeded; and after mature reflec-
tion, no longer doubted that it was owing to having trusted the
lamp out of his sight. He accused himself of negligence in
letting it be a moment away from him. But what puzzled him
most was, that he could not imagine who had been so envious
of his happiness. He would soon have guessed this, if he had
knawn that both he and his palace were now in Africa, the very
name of which would soon have made him remember the magi-
cian, his declared enemy; but the genie, the slave of the ring,
had not made mention of the name of the country, nor had
Aladdin inquired.

The princess rose earlier that morning than she had done
since her transportation into Africa by the magician, whose
presence she was forced to support once a day, because he was
master of the palace; though she had always treated him so
harshly that he dared not reside in it. As she was dressing, one
of the women looking through the w indow perceived Aladdin, and
instantly told her mistress. The princess, who could not believe

[ 177 ]

THE ARABIAN NIGHTS

the joyful tidings, hastened herself to the window, and seeing
Aladdin, immediately opened it. The noise of opening the
window made Aladdin turn his head that way, and perceiving
the princess he saluted her with joy. "To lose no time," said
she to him, 'T have sent to have the private door opened for you;
enter, and come up." The private door, which was just under
the princess's apartment, was soon opened, and Aladdin con-
ducted up into the chamber. It is impossible to express the joy
of both at seeing each other, after so cruel a separation. After
embracing and shedding tears of joy, they sat down, and Aladdin
said: "I beg of you, princess, in Heaven's name, before we talk
of anything else, to tell me, both for your ow^n sake, the sultan
your father's, and mine, what is become of an old lamp which
I left upon a shelf in my robing-chamber, when I departed for
the chase."

"Alas! dear husband," answered the princess, "I was afraid
our misfortune might be owing to that lamp: and what grieves
me most is, that I have been the cause of it." "Princess,"
replied Aladdin, "do not blame yourself, for I ought to have
taken more care of it. But let us now think only of repairing
the loss; tell me what has happened, and into whose hands it has
fallen." The princess then related how she had changed the old
lamp for a new one, and how the next morning she found herself
in the unknown country they were then in, which she was told
was Africa, by the traitor who had transported her thither by
his magic art.

"Princess," said Aladdin, interrupting her, "you have in-
formed me who the traitor is, by telling me we are in Africa.
He is the most perfidious of men; but this is neither a time nor
place to give you a full account of his villainies. I desire you only
to tell me what he has done with the lamp, and where he has

[ 178 ]

ALADDIN

put it." "He carries it carefully wrapt up in his bosom," said
the princess; "and this I can assure you, because he pulled it
out before me, and showed it to me in triumph."

"Princess," said Aladdin, "do not be displeased that I
trouble you with so many questions, since they are equally
important to us both. But to come to what most particularly
concerns me : tell me, I conjure you, how so wicked and perfidious
a man treats you.?" "Since I have been here," replied the
princess, "he repairs once every day to see me; and I am per-
suaded the little satisfaction he receives from his visits makes
him come no oftener. All his addresses tend to persuade me to
break that faith I have pledged to you, and to take him for my
husband; giving me to understand I need not entertain hopes
of ever seeing you again, for that you were dead, having had
your head struck off by my father's order. He added, to justify
himself, that you were an ungrateful wretch; that your good
fortune was owing to him, and a great many other things of that
nature which I forbear to repeat: but as he received no other
answer from me but grievous complaints and tears, he was
always forced to retire with as little satisfaction as he came. I
doubt not his intention is to allow me time to overcome my
grief, in hopes that afterward I may change my sentiments.
But my dear husband's presence removes all my apprehensions."

"I am confident my attempts to punish the magician will
not be in vain," replied Aladdin, "since my princess's fears are
removed, and I think I have found the means to deliver you
from both your enemy and mine; to execute this design, it is
necessary for me to go to the town. I shall return by noon, will
then communicate my design, and what must be done by you
to ensure success. But that you may not be surprised, I think
it proper to acquaint you that I shall change my apparel, and beg

[ 179 ]

THE ARABIAN NIGHTS

of you to give orders that I may not wait long at the private door,
but that it may be opened at the first knock."

When Aladdin was out of the palace, he looked round him
on all sides, and perceiving a peasant going into the country,
hastened after him; and when he had overtaken him, made a
proposal to him to change habits, which the man agreed to.
When they had made the exchange, the countryman went about
his business, and Aladdin to the city. After traversing several
streets, he came to that part of the town where all descriptions of
merchants had their particular streets, according to their trades.
He went into that of the druggists; and going into one of the
largest and best-furnished shops, asked the druggist if he had a
certain powder which he named. The druggist, judging Aladdin
by his habit to be very poor, and that he had not money enough
to pay for it, told him he had it, but that it was very dear ; upon
which Aladdin penetrating his thoughts, pulled out his purse, and
showing him some gold, asked for half a drachm of the powder;
which the druggist weighed, wrapped up in paper, and gave him,
telling him the price was a piece of gold. Aladdin put the money
into his hand, and returned to the palace, where he waited not long
at the private door. When he came into the princess's apartment,
he said to her: "Princess, perhaps the aversion you tell me you
have for your captor may be an objection to your executing what
I am going to propose ; but permit me to say it is proper that you
should dissemble a little, and do violence to your inclinations, if
you would deliver yourself from him.

"If you will take my advice," continued he, "dress yourself
this moment in one of your richest habits, and when the African
magician comes, make no difficulty to give him the best reception ;
so that he may imagine time has removed your disgust at his
addresses. In your conversation let him understand that you

[ 180 ]

ALADDIN

strive to forget me; and that he may be the more fully convinced,
invite him to sup with you, and tell him you should be glad to
taste of some of the best wines of his country. He will presently
go to fetch you some. During his absence, put into one of the
cups which you are accustomed to drink of, this powder, and
setting it by, charge the slave you may order that night to attend
you, on a signal you shall agree upon, to bring that cup to you.
When the magician and you have eaten and drunk as much as you
choose, let her bring you the cup, and then change cups with him.
He will esteem it so great a favour that he will not refuse, but
eagerly quaff it off; but no sooner will he have drunk, than you
will see him fall backward."

When Aladdin had finished, "I own," answered the princess,
*'I shall do myself violence in consenting to make the magician
such advances; but what cannot one resolve to do against a
cruel enemy ? I will therefore follow your advice, since both my
repose and yours depend upon it." After the princess had
agreed to the measures proposed by Aladdin, he took his leave
and went and spent the rest of the day in the neighbourhood of
the palace till it was night, and he might safely return to the
private door.

The princess, who had remained inconsolable at being
parted from her husband, had, ever since their cruel separation,
lived in great neglect of her person. She had almost forgotten
the neatness so becoming persons of her sex and quality, particu-
larly after the first time the magician paid her a visit and she
had understood by some of the women, who knew him again,
that it was he who had taken the old lamp in exchange for a new
one. However, the opportunity of taking the revenge he deserved
made her resolve to gratify Aladdin. As soon, therefore, as he
was gone, she sat down to dress, and was attired by her women

[ 181 ]

THE ARABIAN NIGHTS

to the best advantage in the richest habit of her wardrobe.
Her girdle was of the finest and largest diamonds set in gold, her
necklace of pearls, six on a side, so well proportioned to that in
the middle, which was the largest ever seen, that the greatest
sultanesses would have been proud to have been adorned with
only two of the smallest. Her bracelets, which were of diamonds
and rubies intermixed, corresponded admirably to the richness
of the girdle and necklace.

When the Princess Badroulboudour was completely dressed,
she consulted her glass and women upon her adjustment; and
when she found she wanted no charms to flatter the foolish
passion of the African magician, she sat down on a sofa expecting
his arrival. The magician came at the usual hour, and as soon
as he entered the great hall where the princess waited to receive
him, she rose with an enchanting grace and smile, and pointed
with her hand to the most honourable place, waiting till he sat
down, that she might sit at the same time, which was a civility
she had never shown him before.

The African magician, dazzled more with the lustre of the
princess's eyes than the glittering of her jewels, was much sur-
prised. The smiling air with which she received him, so opposite
to her former behaviour, quite fascinated his heart. When he
was seated, the princess, to free him from his embarrassment,
broke silence first, looking at him all the time in such a manner
as to make him believe that he was not so odious to her as she
had given him to understand hitherto, and said: "You are
doubtless amazed to find me so much altered to-day; but your
surprise will not be so great when I acquaint you, that I am
naturally of a disposition so opposite to melancholy and grief,
that I always strive to put them as far away as possible when I
find the subject of them is past. I have reflected on what you

[ 182 ]

ALADDIN

told me of Aladdin's fate, and know my father's temper so well
that I am persuaded, with you, he could not escape the terrible
effects of the sultan's rage: therefore, should I continue to lament
him all my life, my tears cannot recall him. For this reason,
since I have paid all the duties decency requires of me to his
memory, now he is in the grave I think I ought to endeavour
to comfort myself. These are the motives of the change you see
in me; I am resolved to banish melancholy entirely; and per-
suaded that you will bear me company to-night, I have ordered
a supper to be prepared; but as I have no wines but those of
China, I have a great desire to taste of the produce of Africa,
and doubt not your procuring some of the best."

The African magician, who had looked upon the happiness
of getting so soon and so easily into the Princess Badroulboudour's
good graces as impossible, could not think of words expressive
enough to testify how sensible he was of her favours : but to put
an end the sooner to a conversation which would have embar-
rassed him, if he had engaged farther in it, he turned it upon the
wines of Africa, and said : " Of all the advantages Africa can boast,
that of producing the most excellent wines is one of the principal.
I have a vessel of seven years old, which has never been broached;
and it is indeed not praising it too much to say it is the finest wine
in the world. If my princess," added he, "will give me leave, I
wdll go and fetch two bottles, and return again immediately."
"I should be sorry to give you that trouble," replied the princess;
"you had better send for them." "It is necessary I should go
myself," answered the African magician, "for nobody but myself
knows where the key of the cellar is laid, or has the secret to
unlock the door." "If it be so," said the princess, "make haste
back; for the longer you stay the greater will be my impatience,
and we shall sit down to supper as soon as you return." The

[ 183 ]

THE ARABIAN NIGHTS

African magician, full of hopes of his expected happiness, rather
flew than ran, and returned quickly with the wine. The princess,
not doubting but he would make haste, put with her own hand
the powder Aladdin had given her into the cup set apart for that
purpose. They sat down at the table opposite to each other, the
magician's back toward the buffet. The princess presented
him with the best at the table, and said to him: "If you please, I
will entertain you with a concert of vocal and instrumental music ;
but as we are only two, I think conversation may be more agree-
able." This the magician took as a new favour. After they
had eaten some time, the princess called for some wine, drank the
magician's health, and afterward said to him: "Indeed you had
a full right to commend your wine, since I never tasted any so
delicious." "Charming princess," said he, holding in his hand
the cup which had been presented to him, "my wine becomes
more exquisite by your approbation." " Then drink my health,"
replied the princess: "you will find I understand wines." He
drank the princess's health, and returning the cup said; "I think
myself fortunate, princess, that I reserved this wine for so happy
an occasion ; and own I never before drank any in every respect
so excellent." When they had each drunk two or three cups
more, the princess, who had completely charmed the African
magician by her obliging behaviour, gave the signal to the slave
who served them with wine, bidding her bring the cup which
had been filled for herself, and at the same time bring the magi-
cian a full goblet. When they both had their cups in their hands,
she said to him: "I know not how you express your loves in these
parts when drinking together." With us in China lovers recipro-
cally exchange cups, and drink each other's health": at the same
time she presented to him the cup which was in her hand, and
held out her hand to receive his. He hastened to make the ex-

[ 184 ]

ALADDIN

change with the more pleasure, because he looked upon this
favour as a token of conquest over the princess, which raised his
rapture to the highest pitch. Before he drank, he said to her,
with the cup in his hand: "Indeed, princess, we Africans are not
so refined in the art of love as you Chinese : and your instructing
me in a lesson I was ignorant of, informs me how sensible I
ought to be of the favour done me. I shall never, lovely princess,
forget my recovering, by drinking out of your cup, that life,
which your cruelty, had it continued, must have made me despair
of."

The princess, who began to be tired with his declarations,
interrupted him and said: '*Let us drink first, and then say what
you will afterward"; at the same time she set the cup to her lips,
while the African magician, who was eager to get his wine off
first, drank up the very last drop. In finishing it, he leaned his
head back to show his eagerness, and remained some time in that
state. The princess kept the cup at her lips till she saw his eyes
turn in his head, when he fell backward lifeless on the sofa.
The princess had no occasion to order the private door to be
opened to Aladdin; for her women were so disposed from the
great hall to the foot of the staircase, that the word was no
sooner given that the magician was fallen, than the door was
immediately opened. As soon as Aladdin entered the hall, he
saw the magician stretched backward on the sofa. The princess
rose from her seat, and ran overjoyed to embrace him; but he
stopped her and said: ** Princess, it is not yet time; let me be
left alone a moment, while I endeavour to transport you back to
China as speedily as you were brought from thence." ^Yhen
the princess, her women and eunuchs, were gone out of the hall,
Aladdin shut the door, and, going directly to the dead body of the
magician, opened his vest, took out the lamp which was carefully

[ 185 ]

THE ARABIAN NIGHTS

wrapped up, as the princess had told him, and unfolding and
rubbing it, the genie immediately appeared. "Genie," said
Aladdin, "I have called to command thee, on the part of thy
good mistress, this lamp, to transport this palace instantly into
China, to the place from whence it was brought hither." The
genie bowed his head in token of obedience, and disappeared.
Immediately the palace was transported into China, and its
removal was only felt by two little shocks, the one when it was
lifted up, the other when it was set down, and both in a very short
interval of time.

From the time of the transportation of Aladdin's palace, the
princess's father had been inconsolable for the loss of her.
Before the disaster he used to go every morning into his closet
to please himself with viewing the palace; he went now many
times in the day to renew his tears, and plunge himself into the
deepest melancholy, by reflecting how he had lost what was most
dear to him in this world.

The very morning of the return to the palace, the sultan
went into his closet to indulge his sorrows. Absorbed in himself,
and in a pensive mood, he cast his eyes toward the spot, expecting
only to see an open space; but perceiving the vacancy filled up,
he at first imagined the appearance to be the effect of a fog;
looking more attentively, he was convinced beyond the power of
doubt that it was his son-in-law's palace. Joy and gladness
succeeded to sorrow and grief. He returned immediately into
his apartment, and ordered a horse to be saddled and brought to
him without delay, which he mounted that instant, thinking he
could not make haste enough to the palace.

Aladdin, who foresaw what would happen, rose that morning
by daybreak, put on one of the most magnificent habits his ward-
robe afforded, and went up into the hall of twenty-four windows,

[ 186 ]

ALADDIN

from whence he perceived the sultan approaching, and got down
soon enough to receive him at the foot of the great staircase.
"Aladdin," said the sultan, "I cannot speak to you till I have
seen and embraced my daughter." The happy father was then
led to the princess's apartment and embraced her with his face
bathed in tears of joy. The sultan v, as some time before he could
open his lips, so great was his surprise and joy to find his daughter
again, after he had given her up for lost; and the princess, upon
seeing her father, let fall tears of rapture and affection.

At last the sultan broke silence, and said: "I would believe,
daughter, your joy to see me makes you seem as little changed as
if no misfortune had befallen you ; yet I cannot be persuaded but
that you have suffered much alarm; for a large palace cannot
be so suddenly transported as yours has been, without causing
great fright and apprehension. I would have you tell me all that
has happened, and conceal nothing from me."

The princess, who took great pleasure in giving the sultan
the satisfaction he demanded, said: "If I appear so little altered,
I beg of your majesty to consider that I received new life yesterday
morning by the presence of my dear husband and deliverer,
Aladdin, whom I looked upon and bewailed as lost to me.
My greatest suffering was to find myself forced not only from
your majesty, but from my dear husband; not only from the
love I bore him, but from the uneasiness I laboured under through
fear that he, though innocent, might feel the effects of your anger.
As to what relates to my transportation, I was myself the innocent
cause of it." To persuade the sultan of the truth of what she
said, she gave him a full account of how the African magician
had disguised himself, and offered to change new lamps for old
ones; how she had amused herself in making that exchange;
how the palace and herself were carried away and transported

[ 187 ]

THE ARABIAN NIGHTS

into Africa, with the magician, who was recognised by two of
her women and the eunuch who made the exchange of the lamp,
when he had the audacity, after the success of his daring enter-
prise, to propose himself for her husband; how he persecuted
her till Aladdin's arrival; how they had concerted measures to
get the lamp from him again, and the success they had fortunately
met with by her dissimulation in inviting him to supper, and
giving him the cup with the powder prepared for him. "For the
rest," added she, *'I leave it to Aladdin to recount."

Aladdin had not much to tell the sultan, but only said:
"When the private door was opened I went up into the great
hall, where I found the magician lying dead on the sofa; and as
I thought it not proper for the princess to stay there any longer,
I desired her to go down into her own apartment, with her
women and eunuchs. As soon as I was alone, and had taken
the lamp out of the magician's breast, I made use of the same
secret he had done, to remove the palace, and carry off the
princess; and by that means the palace was reconveyed to the
place where it stood before; and I have the happiness to restore
the princess to your majesty. But that your majesty may not
think that I impose upon you, if you will give yourself the trouble
to go up into the hall, you may see the magician punished as he
deserved."

The sultan rose instantly and went into the hall, where,
when he saw the African magician dead, and his face already
livid by the strength of the poison, he embraced Aladdin with
great tenderness, and said: "My son, be not displeased at my
proceedings against you ; they arose from my paternal love ; and
therefore you ought to forgive the excesses to which it hurried
me." "Sir," replied Aladdin, "I have not the least reason to
complain of your majesty's conduct, since you did nothing but

[ 188 ]

ALADDIN

what your duty required. This infamous magician, the
basest of men, was the sole cause of my misfortune. When
your majesty has leisure, I will give you an account of another
villainous action he was guilty of toward me, which was no less
black and base than this." *' I will take an opportunity, and that
very shortly," replied the sultan, '* to hear it; but in the meantime
let us think only of rejoicing."

The sultan then commanded the drums, trumpets, cymbals,
and other instruments of music to announce his joy to the public,
and a festival of ten days to be proclaimed for the return of the
princess and Aladdin.

Within a few years afterward, the sultan died in a good old
age, and as he left no male children, the Princess Badroulboudour,
as lawful heir of the throne, succeeded him, and communicating
the power to Aladdin, they reigned together many years, and left
a numerous and illustrious progeny.

[ 189 ]

THE STORY OF PRINCE AGIB

I WAS a king, and the son of a king; and when my father
died, I succeeded to his throne, and governed my subjects
with justice and beneficence. I took pleasure in sea-
voyages; and my capital was on the shore of an extensive sea,
interspersed with fortified and garrisoned islands, which I
desired, for my amusement, to visit; I therefore embarked with
a fleet of ten ships, and took with me provisions sufficient for a
whole month. I proceeded twenty days, after which there arose
against us a contrary wind; but at daybreak it ceased, and the
sea became calm, and we arrived at an island, where we landed,
and cooked some provisions and ate ; after which we remained
there two days. We then continued our voyage; and when
twenty days more had passed, we found ourselves in strange
waters, unknown to the captain, and desired the watch to look
out from the mast head: so he went aloft, and when he had
come down he said to the captain: "I saw, on my right hand, fish
floating upon the surface of the water; and looking toward the
midst of the sea, I perceived something looming in the distance,
sometimes black, and sometimes white."

When the captain heard this report of the watch, he threw his
turban on the deck, and plucked his beard, and said to those who
were with him: "Receive warning of our destruction, which will
befall all of us: not one will escape!" So saying, he began to
weep; and all of us in like manner bewailed our lot. I desired
him to inform us of that which the watch had seen. "O my
lord," he replied, "know that we have wandered from our course

[ 190 ]

PRINCE AGIB

since the commencement of the contrary wind that was followed
in the morning by a calm, in consequence of which we remained
stationary two days: from that period we have deviated from
our course for twenty-one days, and we have no wind to carry
us back from the fate which awaits us after this day. To-morrow
we shall arrive at a mountain of black stone, called loadstone:
the current is novv^ bearing us violently toward it, and the ships
will fall in pieces, and every nail in them will fly to the mountain,
a,nd adhere to it; for God hath given to the loadstone a secret
property by virtue of which everything of iron is attracted tow^ard
it. On that mountain is such a quantity of iron as no one know-
eth but God, whose name be exalted; for from times of old great
numbers of ships have been destroyed by the influence of that
mountain. There is, upon the summit of the mountain, a cupola
of brass supported by ten columns, and upon the top of this is a
horseman upon a horse of brass, having in his hand a brazen
spear, and upon his breast suspended a tablet of lead, upon which
are engraved mysterious names and talismans: and as long, O
King, as this horseman remains upon the horse, so long will every
ship that approaches be destroyed, with every person on board,
and all the iron contained in it will cleave to the mountain: no
one will be safe until the horseman shall have fallen from the
horse." The captain then wept bitterly; and we felt assured
that our destruction was inevitable, and every one of us bade
adieu to his friend.

On the f ollowingr morning: we drew near to the mountain ; the
current carried us toward it with violence, and when the ships
were almost close to it, they fell asunder, and all the nails, and
everything else that was of iron, flew from them toward the load-
stone. It was near the close of day when the ships fell in pieces.
Some of us were drowned, and some escaped; but the greater

[ 191 ]

THE ARABIAN NIGHTS

number were drowned, and of those who saved their lives none
know what became of the others, so stupefied were they by the
waves and the boisterous wind. As for myself, God, whose name be
exalted, spared me on account of the trouble and torment and
affliction that He had predestined to befall me. I placed myself
upon a plank, and the wind and waves cast it upon the mountain ;
and when I had landed, I found a practicable way to the summit,
resembling steps cut in the rock: so I exclaimed: "In the name
of God!" and offered up a prayer, and attempted the ascent,
holding fast by the notches ; and presently God stilled the wind,
so that I arrived in safety at the summit. Rejoicing greatly in
my escape, I immediately entered the cupola, and performed
prayers in gratitude to God for my preservation; after which I
slept beneath the cupola, and heard a voice saying to me: "O
son of Khasib, when thou awakest, dig beneath thy feet, and thou
wilt find a bow of brass, and three arrows of lead, whereon are
engraved talismans: then take the bow and arrows and shoot
at the horseman that is upon the top of the cupola, and relieve
mankind from this great affliction; for when thou hast shot at
the horseman he will fall into the sea; the bow will also fall, and
do thou bury it in its place; and as soon as thou hast done this,
the sea will swell and rise until it attains the summit of the
mountain; and there will appear upon it a boat bearing a man,
different from him whom thou shalt have cast down, and he will
come to thee, having an oar in his hand: then do thou embark
with him; but utter not the name of God; and he will convey
thee in ten days to a safe sea, where, on thy arrival, thou wilt
find one who will take thee to thy city. All this shall be done if
thou utter not the name of God."

Awaking from my sleep, I sprang up, and did as the voice
had directed. I shot at the horseman, and he fell into the sea;

[ 192 ]

PRINCE AGIB

and the bow having fallen from my hand, I buried it : the sea then
became troubled, and rose to the summit of the mountain, and
when I had stood waiting there a little while, I beheld a boat in
the midst of the sea, approaching me. I praised God, whose
name be exalted, and when the boat came to me, I found in it
a man of brass, with a tablet of lead upon his breast, engraven
with names and talismans. Without uttering a word, I embarked
in the boat, and the man rowed me ten successive days, after
which I beheld the islands of security, whereupon, in the excess
of my joy, I exclaimed: "There is no deity but God! God is
most great!" — and as soon as I had done this, the man cast me
out of the boat, and sank in the sea.

Being able to swim, I swam until night, when my arms and
shoulders were tired, and, in this perilous situation, I repeated the
profession of the faith, and gave myself up as lost; but the sea
rose with the violence of the wind, and a wave like a vast castle
threw me upon the land, in order to the accomplishment of the
purpose of God. I ascended the shore, and after I had wrung
out my clothes, and spread them upon the ground to dry, I slept ;
and in the morning I put on my clothes again, and, looking about
to see which way I should go, I found a tract covered with trees;
and when I had walked round it, I found that I was upon a small
island in the midst of the sea; upon which I said within myself :
"Every time that I escape from one calamity I fall into another
that is worse:" but while I was reflecting upon my unfortunate
case, and wishing for death, I beheld a vessel bearing a number
of men. I arose immediately, and climbed into a tree; and lo,
the vessel came to the shore, and there landed from it ten black
slaves bearing axes. They proceeded to the middle of the island,
and, digging up the earth, uncovered and lifted up a trap-door,
after which they returned to the vessel, and brought from it

[ 193 ]

THE AKaBIAN nights

bread and flour, and clarified butter and honey, and sheep and
everything that the wants of an inhabitant would require, con-
tinuing to pass backward and forward between the vessel and
the trap-door, bringing loads from the former, and entering the
latter, until they had removed all the stores from the ship.
They then came out of the vessel with various clothes of the most
beautiful description, and in the midst of them was an old
sheikh, enfeebled and wasted by extreme age, leading by the hand
a young man cast in the mould of graceful symmetry, and in-
vested with such perfect beauty as deserved to be a subject for
proverbs. He was like a fresh and slender twig, enchanting and
captivating every heart by his elegant form. The party proceeded
to the trap-door, and, entering it, became concealed from my eyes.
They remained beneath about two hours, or more; after
w^hich, the sheikh and the slaves came out; but the youth came
not with them; and they replaced the earth, and embarked and
set sail. Soon after, I descended from the tree, and went to the
excavation. I removed the earth, and, entering the aperture,
saw a flight of wooden steps, which I descended; and, at the
bottom, I beheld a handsome dwelling-place, furnished with a
variety of silken carpets; and there was the youth, sitting upon
a high mattress, with sweet-smelling flowers and fruits placed
before him. On seeing me, his countenance became pale; but
I saluted him, and said: "Let thy mind be composed, O my
master: thou hast nothing to fear; for I am a man, and the son
of a king, like thyself : fate hath impelled me to thee, that I may
cheer thee in thy solitude." The youth, when he heard me thus
address him, and was convinced that I was one of his own
species, rejoiced exceedingly at my arrival, his colour returned^
and, desiring me to approach him, he said: "O my brother, my
story is wonderful : my father is a jeweller : he had slaves who

[ 194 ]

And when the boat came to me I found in it a man of brass,
with a tablet of lead upon his breast, engraven with names
and talismans.

PRINCE AGIB

made voyages by his orders, for the purposes of commerce, and
he had dealings with kings; but he had never been blest with a
son ; and he dreamt that he was soon to have a son, but one whose
life would be short; and he awoke sorrowful. Shortly after, in
accordance with the decrees of God, my mother gave birth to
me; and my father was greatly rejoiced : the astrologers, however,
came to him, and said: "Thy son will live fifteen years: his
fate is intimated by the fact that there is in the sea a mountain
called the Mountain of Loadstone, whereon is a horseman on a
horse of brass, on the former of which is a tablet of lead suspended
to his neck ; and when the horseman shall be thrown down from
his horse, thy son will be slain: the person who is to slay him is
he who will throw down the horseman, and his name is King
Agib, the son of King Khasib. My father was greatly afflicted
at this announcement; and when he had reared me until I had
nearly attained the age of fifteen years, the astrologers came again,
and informed him that the horseman had fallen into the sea, and
that it had been thrown down by King Agib, the son of King
Khasib ; on hearing which, he prepared for me this dwelling, and
here left me to remain until the completion of the term, of which
there now remain ten days. All this he did from fear lest King
Agib should kill me."

When I heard this, I was filled w^ith wonder, and said within
myself: "I am King Agib, the son of King Khasib, and it was I
who threw^ down the horseman; but, by Allah, I will neither kill
him nor do him any injury." Then said I to the youth: "Far
from thee be both destruction and harm, if it be the will of God :
thou hast nothing to fear: I will remain with thee to serve thee,
and will go forth with thee to thy father, and beg of him to send
me back to my country, for the which he will obtain a reward."
The youth rejoiced at my words, and I sat and conversed with

[ 195 ]

THE ARABIAN NIGHTS

him until night, when I spread his bed for him, and covered him,
and slept near to his side. And in the morning I brought him
water, and he washed his face, and said to me: '* May God requite
thee for me with every blessing. If I escape from King Agib,
I will make my father reward thee with abundant favours."
"Never," I replied, *'may the day arrive that would bring thee
misfortune!" I then placed before him some refreshments, and
after we had eaten together, we passed the day conversing with
the utmost cheerfulness.

I continued to serve him for nine days ; and on the tenth day
the youth rejoiced at finding himself in safety, and said to me:
"O my brother, I wish that thou wouldst in thy kindness warm
for me some water, that I may wash myself and change my
clothes; for I have smelt the odour of escape from death, in
consequence of thy assistance." "With pleasure," I replied;
and I arose, and warmed the water; after which, he entered a
place concealed from my view, and, having washed himself and
changed his clothes, laid himself upon the mattress to rest after
his bath. He then said to me: " Cut up for me, O my brother, a
water-melon, and mix its juice with some sugar: so I arose, and,
taking a melon, brought it upon a plate, and said to him: "Know-
est thou, O my master, where is the knife ?" "See, here it is," he
answered, "upon the shelf over my head." I sprang up hastily,
and took it from its sheath, and as I was drawing back, my foot
slipped, as God had decreed, and I fell upon the youth, grasping
in my hand the knife, which entered his body, and he died
instantly. When I perceived that he was dead, and that I had
killed him, I uttered a loud shriek, and beat my face, and rent
my clothes: saying: "This is, indeed, a calamity! O my Lord,
I implore thy pardon, and declare to Thee my innocence of his
death! Would that I had died before him!"

[ 196 ]

PRINCE AGIB

With these reflections I ascended the steps, and, having
replaced the trap-door, returned to my first station, and looked
over the sea, where I saw the vessel that had come before, ap-
proaching, and cleaving the waves in its rapid course. Upon
this I said within myself: "Now will the men come forth from the
vessel, and find the youth slain, and they will slay me also:" so I
climbed into a tree, and concealed myself among its leaves, and
sat there till the vessel arrived and cast anchor, when the slaves
landed with the old sheikh, the father of the youth, and went to
the place, and removed the earth. They were surprised at find-
ing it moist, and, when they had descended the steps, they dis-
covered the youth lying on his back, exhibiting a face beaming
with beauty, though dead, and clad in white and clean clothing,
with the knife remaining in his body. They all wept at the
sight, and the father fell down in a swoon, which lasted so long
that the slaves thought he was dead. At length, however, he
recovered, and came out with the slaves, who had wrapped the
body of the youth in his clothes. They then took back all that
was in the subterranean dwelling to the vessel, and departed.

I remained, by day hiding myself in a tree, and at night walk-
ing about the open part of the island. Thus I continued for the
space of two months; and I perceived that, on the western side
of the island, the water of the sea every day retired, until, after
three months, the land that had been beneath it became dry.
Rejoicing at this, and feeling confident now in my escape, I
traversed this dry tract, and arrived at an expanse of sand;
whereupon I emboldened myself, and crossed it. I then saw in
the distance an appearance of fire, and, advancing toward it,
found it to be a palace, overlaid with plates of red copper, which,
reflecting the rays of the sun, seemed from a distance to be fire:
and when I drew near to it, reflecting upon this sight, there

[ 197 ]

THE ARABIAN NIGHTS

approached me an old sheikh, accompanied by ten young men
who were all blind of one eye, at which I was extremely surprised.
As soon as they saw me, they saluted me, and asked me my
story, which I related to them from first to last; and they were
filled with wonder. They then conducted me into the palace,
where I saw ten benches, upon each of which was a mattress
covered with a blue stuff; and each of the young men seated
himself upon one of these benches, while the sheikh took his place
upon a smaller one; after which they said to me: "Sit down, O
young man, and ask no question respecting our condition, nor
respecting our being blind of one eye." Then the sheikh arose,
and brought to each of them some food, and the same to me also ;
and next he brought to each of us some wine: and after we had
eaten, we sat drinking together until the time for sleep, when the
young men said to the sheikh: '* Bring to us our accustomed
supply" — upon which the sheikh arose, and entered a closet,
from which he brought, upon his head, ten covered trays. Plac-
ing these upon the floor, he lighted ten candles, and stuck one
of them upon each tray; and, having done this, he removed
the covers, and there appeared beneath them ashes mixed with
pounded charcoal. The young men then tucked up their sleeves
above the elbow, and blackened their faces, and slapped their
cheeks, exclaiming: "We were reposing at our ease, and our
impertinent curiosity suffered us not to remain so!" Thus they
did until the morning, when the sheikh brought them some
hot water, and they washed their faces, and put on other clothes.
On witnessing this conduct, my reason was confounded, my
heart was so troubled that I forgot my own misfortunes, and I
asked them the cause of their strange behaviour; upon which
they looked toward me, and said: "O young man, ask not re-
specting that which doth not concern thee; but be silent; for

[ 198 ]

PRINCE AGIB

in silence is securi+y from error." I remained with them a whole
month, during which, every night they did the same, and at
length I said to them: "I conjure you by Allah to remove this
disquiet from my mind, and to inform me of the cause of your
acting in this manner, and of your exclaiming: 'We w^ere reposing
at our ease, and our impertinent curiosity suffered us not to
remain so!' if ye inform me not, I will leave you, and go my
way." On hearing these words, they replied: "We have not
concealed this affair from thee but in our concern for thy welfare,
lest thou shouldst become like us, and the same affliction that
hath befallen us happen also to thee." I said, however: "Ye
must positively inform me of this matter." "We give thee good
advice," said they, "and do thou receive it, and ask us not
respecting our case; otherwise thou wilt become blind of one
eye, like us" — but I still persisted in my request; whereupon
they said: "O young man, if this befall thee, know that thou wilt
be banished from our company." They then all arose, and, tak-
ing a ram, slaughtered and skinned it, and said to me: "Take
this knife with thee, and introduce thyself into the skin of the
ram, and we will sew thee up in it, and go away; whereupon a.
bird called the roc will come to thee, and, taking thee up by its
talons, will fly away with thee, and set thee down upon a moun-
tain : then cut open the skin with this knife, and get out, and the
bird will fly away. Thou must arise, as soon as it hath gone,,
and journey for half a day, and thou wilt see before thee a lofty
palace, encased with red gold, set with various precious stones
such as emeralds and rubies; and if thou enter it thy case will
be as ours ; for our entrance into that palace was the cause of our
being blind of one eye; and if one of us would relate to thee all
that hath befallen him, his story would be too long for thee to
hear."

[ 199 ]

THE ARABIAN NIGHTS

They then sewed me up in the skin, and entered their palace ;
and soon after, there came an enormous white bird, which seized
me, and flew away with me, and set me down upon the mountain ;
whereupon I cut open the skin, and got out; and the bird, as soon
as it saw me, flew away. I rose up quickly, and proceeded
toward the palace, which I found to be as they had described
it to me; and when I had entered it, I beheld, at the upper end
of a saloon, forty young damsels, beautiful as so many moons,
and magnificently attired, who, as soon as they saw me, exclaimed:
"Welcome! Welcome! O our master and our lord! We have
been for a month expecting thee. Praise be to God who hath
blessed us with one who is worthy of us, and one of whom we
are worthy!" After having thus greeted me, they seated me
upon a mattress, and said: "Thou art from this day our master
and prince, and we are thy handmaids, and entirely under thy
authority." They then brought to me some refreshments, and,
when I had eaten and drunk, they sat and conversed with me,
full of joy and happiness. So lovely were these ladies, that even
a devotee, if he saw them, would gladly consent to be their servant,
and to comply with all that they would desire. At the approach
of night they all assembled around me, and placed before me a
table of fresh and dried fruits, with other delicacies that the tongue
cannot describe, and wine ; and one began to sing, while another
played upon the lute. The wine-cups circulated among us, and
joy overcame me to such a degree as to obliterate from my mind
every earthly care, and make me exclaim: "This is indeed a
delightful life!" I passed a night of such enjoyment as I had
never before experienced ; and on the morrow I entered the bath ;
and, after I had washed myself, they brought m.e a suit of the
richest clothing, and we again sat down to a lepast.

In this manner I lived with them a whole year; but on the

[ 200 ]

PRINCE AGIB

first day of the new year, they seated themselves around me, and
began to weep, and bade me farewell, clinging to my skirts.
"What calamity hath befallen you?" said I. "Ye are breaking
my heart." They answered: "Would that we had never known
thee; for we have associated with many men, but have seen none
like thee. May God, therefore, not deprive us of thy company."
And they wept afresh. I said to them: "I wish that you would
acquaint me with the cause of this weeping." "Thou," they
replied, "art the cause; yet now, if thou wilt attend to what
we tell thee, we shall never be parted ; but if thou act contrary to
it, we are separated from this time; and our hearts whisper to
us that thou wilt not regard our warning." "Inform me," said
I, "and I will attend to your directions." And they replied: "If
then thou wouldst inquire respecting our history, know that we
are the daughters of kings: for many years it hath been our
custom to assemble here, and every year we absent ourselves
during a period of forty days; then returning, we indulge our-
selves for a year in feasting and drinking. This is our usual
practice ; and now we fear that thou wilt disregard our directions
when we are absent from thee. We deliver to thee the keys of
the palace, which are a hundred in number, belonging to a
hundred closets. Open each of these, and amuse thyself, and
eat and drink, and refresh thyself, excepting the closet that hath
a door of red gold; for if thou open this, the consequence will
be a separation between us and thee. We conjure thee, there-
fore, to observe our direction, and to be patient during this
period." Upon hearing this, I swore to them that I would never
open the closet to which they alluded ; and they departed, urging
me to be faithful to my promise.

I remained alone in the palace, and at the approach of
evening I opened the first closet, and, entering it, found a mansion

[ 201 ]

THE ARABIAN NIGHTS

like paradise, with a garden containing green trees loaded with
ripe fruits, abounding with singing birds, and watered by copious
streams. My heart was soothed by the sight, and I wandered
among the trees, scenting the fragrance of the flowers, and
listening to the warbling of the birds as they sang the praises of
the One, the Almighty. After admiring the mingled colours of
the apple resembling the hue upon the cheek of the beloved
maid and the sallow countenance of the perplexed and timid
lover, the sweet-smelling quince diffusing an odour like musk
and ambergris, and the plum shining as the ruby, I retired from
this place, and, having locked the door, opened that of the next
closet, within which I beheld a spacious tract planted with
numerous palm-trees, and watered by a river flowing among rose-
trees, and jasmine, and marjoram, and eglantine, and narcissus,
and gilliflower, the odours of which, diffused in every direction
by the wind, inspired me with the utmost delight. I locked
again the door of the second closet, and opened that of the third.
Within this I found a large saloon, paved w^ith marbles of various
colours, and with costly minerals and precious gems, and con-
taining cages constructed of sandal and aloes-wood with singing
birds within them, and others upon the branches of trees which
were planted there. My heart was charmed, my trouble was
dissipated, and I slept there until the morning. I then opened
the door of the fourth closet, and within this door I found a great
building in which were forty closets with open doors; and
entering these, I beheld pearls, and rubies, and chrysolites, and
emeralds, and other precious jewels such as the tongue cannot
describe. I was astonished at the sight, and said: "Such things
as these, I imagine, are not found in the treasury of any king.
I am now the King of my age, and all these treasures, through the
goodness of God, are mine."

[ 202 ]

At f)ie approach' of. evening I opMect ike. first closet and.

PRINCE AGIB

Thus I continued to amuse myself, passing from one place to
another, until thirty-nine days had elapsed, and I had opened the
doors of all the closets excepting that which they had forbidden
me to open. My heart was then disturbed by curiosity respecting
this hundredth closet, and the Devil, in order to plunge me into
misery, induced me to open it. I had not patience to abstain,
though there remained of the appointed period only one day:
so I approached the closet, and opened the door; and when I had
entered, I perceived a fragrant odour, such as I had never before
smelt, which intoxicated me so that I fell down insensible, and
remained some time in this state: but at length recovering, I
fortified my heart, and proceeded. I found the floor overspread
w ith saffron, and the place illuminated by golden lamps and by
candles, which diffused the odours of musk and ambergris. I
saw also a black horse, of the hue of the darkest night, before
which was a manger of white crystal filled with cleansed sesame,
and another, similar to it, containing rose-w^ater infused with
musk: he was saddled and bridled, and his saddle was of red
gold. Wondering at the sight of him, I said within myself:
"This must be an animal of extraordinary qualities;" and,
seduced by the Devil, I led him out, and mounted him; but he
moved not from his place. I kicked him with my heel ; but still
he moved not : so I took a switch and struck him with it ; and as
soon as he felt the blow he uttered a sound like thunder, and,
expanding a pair of wings, soared with me to an immense height
through the air, and then alighted upon the roof of another
palace, where he threw me from his back, and, by a violent
blow with his tail upon my face, struck out my eye, and left me.

Thus it was I became blind of one eye. I then recollected
the predictions of the ten young men. The horse again took
wing, and soon disappeared. I got up much vexed at the mis-

[ <203 ]

THE ARABIAN NIGHTS

fortune I had brought upon myself. I walked upon the terrace,
covering my eye with one of my hands, for it pained me exceed-
ingly, and then descended, and entered into a hall. I soon
discovered by the ten benches in a circle, and the eleventh in the
middle, smaller than the rest, that I was in the castle whence I
had been carried by the roc.

The ten young men were not in the hall when I entered;
but came in soon after, attended by the sheikh. They seemed not
at all surprised to see me, nor at the loss of my eye; but said:
"We are sorry that we cannot congratulate you on your return,
as we could wish; but we are not the cause of your misfortune."
"I should do you wrong," I replied, "to lay it to your charge;
I have only myself to accuse." "If," said they, "it be a subject
of consolation to the afflicted to know that others share their
sufferings, you have in us this alleviation of your misfortune.
All that has happened to you we have also endured; we each
of us tasted the same pleasures during a year; and we had still
continued to enjoy them, had we not opened the golden door,
when the princesses were absent. You have been no wiser than
we, and have incurred the same punishment. We would gladly
receive you into our company, to join with us in the penance to
w^hich we are bound, and the duration of which we know not.
But we have already stated to you the reasons that render this
impossible: depart, therefore, and proceed to the court of Bagdad,
where you will meet with the person who is to decide your
destiny." After they had explained to me the road I was to
travel, I departed from them, with mournful heart and weeping
eye, and, God having decreed me a safe journey hither, I arrived
at Bagdad, after I had shaved my beard, and become a mendi-
cant. Praise be to God, whose name be exalted, and whose
purposes concerning me are as yet hid in darkness.

[ 204 ]

THE STORY OF THE CITY OF BRASS

THERE was, in olden time, in Damascus of Syria, a king,
named Abd-El-Melik the son of Marwan ; and he was
sitting, one day, having with him the great men of his
empire, consisting of kings and sultans, when a discussion took
place among them, respecting the traditions of former nations.
They called to mind the stories of Solomon, son of David, and the
dominion which God had bestowed upon him over mankind, and
the genies, and the birds, and the wild beasts, and they said:
"We have heard from those who were before us, that God
bestowed not upon any one the power which He bestowed upon
Solomon, so that he used to imprison the genies and the devils
in bottles of brass, and pour molten lead over them, and seal a
cover over them with his signet."

Then Talib, one of the sultans, related, that a man once
embarked in a ship with a company of others, and they voyaged to
the island of Sicily and ceased not in their course until there
arose against them a wind which bore them away to an unknown
land. This happened during the black darkness of night, and
when the day shone forth, there came out to them, from caves
in that land, people of black complexion and with naked bodies,
like wild beasts, not understanding speech. They had a king
of their own race, and none of them knew Arabic save their king.
So when they saw the ship and those who were in her, he came
forth to them attended by a party of his companions, and saluted
them and welcomed them: They acquainted him with their
state; and he said to them, "No harm shall befall you; there

[ 205 ]

THE ARABIAN NIGHTS

hath not come to us any one of the sons of Adam before you.'*
And he entertained them with a banquet of the flesh of birds and
of wild beasts and of fish. And after this, the people of the ship
went down to divert themselves in the city, and they found one
of the fishermen who had cast his net in the sea to catch fish, and
he drew it up, and, lo, in it was a bottle of brass stopped with
lead, which was sealed with the signet of Solomon the son of
David. And the fisherman came forth and broke it; whereupon
there proceeded from it a blue smoke, which united with the
clouds of heaven; and they heard a horrible voice, saying: "Re-
pentance! repentance! O Prophet of God!" Then, of that
smoke there was formed a person of terrible aspect, of terrific
make, whose head would reach as high as a mountain; and he
disappeared from before their eyes. As to the people of the
ship, their hearts were almost eradicated ; but the blacks thought
nothing of the event. And a man returned to the king, and
asked him respecting this; and the king answered him: "Know
that this is one of the genies whom Solomon, the son of David,
w^hen he was incensed against them, imprisoned in these bottles,
and he poured lead over them, and threw them into the sea.
When the fisherman casteth his net, it generally bringeth up
these bottles; and when they are broken, there cometh forth
from them a genie, w^ho imagineth that Solomon is still living;
wherefore he repenteth, and saith: 'Repentance! O Prophet of
God!'"

And the Prince of the Faithful, Abd-El-Melik, wondered at
these words, and said: "By Allah, I desire to see some of these
bottles!" So Talib replied: "O Prince of the Faithful, thou art
able to do so, and yet remain in thy country. Send to thy brother
Abd-El-x\zeez, that he may write orders to the Emeer Moosa to
journey from the Western Country to this mountain which w^e

[ 206 ]

THE CITY OF BRASS

have mentioned, and to bring thee what thou desirest of these
bottles; for the furthest tract of his province is adjacent to this
mountain." And the Prince of the Faithful approved of his
advice, and said: "O Talib, thou hast spoken truth and I desire
that thou be my messenger to Moosa for this purpose." To
this, Talib replied: "Most willingly, O Prince of the Faithful."
And the king said to him: "Go in dependence on the blessing of
God, and his aid." Then he gave orders that they should write
for him a letter to his brother Abd-El-Azeez, his viceroy in Egypt,
and another letter to Moosa, his viceroy in the Western Country,
commanding him to journey, himself, in search of the bottles of
Solomon. He sealed the two letters, and delivered them to
Talib, commanding him to hasten, and he gave him riches and
riders and footmen to aid him in his way.

So Talib went forth on his way to Egypt, and when the Emeer
Moosa knew of his approach, he went forth to him and met him,
and rejoiced at his arrival; and Talib handed to him the letter.
So he took it and read it, and understood its meaning; and he
put it upon his head, saying: "I hear and obey the command of
the Prince of the Faithful." He determined to summon his great
men; and they presented themselves; and he inquired of them
respecting that which had been made known to him by the
letter; whereupon they said: "O Emeer, if thou desire him who
will guide thee to that place, have recourse to the Sheikh Abd-Es-
Samad; for he is a knowing man, and hath travelled much, and
he is acquainted with the deserts and wastes and the seas, and
their inhabitants and their wonders, and the countries and their
districts. Have recourse therefore to him, and he will direct
thee to the object of thy desire." Accordingly he gave orders to
bring him, and he came before him; and, lo, he was a very old
man, whom the vicissitudes of years and times had rendered

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decrepit. The Emeer Moosa saluted him, and said to him: "O
Sheikh Abd-Es-Samad, our lord, the Prince of the Faithful, hath
commanded us thus and thus, and I possess little knowledge of
that land, and it hath been told me that thou art acquainted with
that country and the routes. Hast thou then a wish to accomplish
the affair of the Prince of the Faithful.^" The sheikh replied:
"Know, O Emeer, that this route is difficult, far extending, with
few tracks." The emeer said to him: "How long a period doth
it require.''" He answered: "It is a journey of two years and
some months going, and the like returning; and on the way are
difficulties and horrors, and extraordinary and wonderful things.
But," he said, "God will assuredly make this affair easy to us
through the blessing attendant upon thee, O Viceroy of the Prince
of the Faithful."

After this they departed, and they continued their journey
until they arrived at a palace; w^hereupon the sheikh said:
"Advance with us to this palace, which presenteth a lesson to
him who will be admonished." So the Emeer Moosa advanced
thither, together with the Sheikh Abd-Es-Samad and his chief
companions, till they came to its entrance. And they found it
open, and having lofty angles, and steps, among which w^ere tw^o
wide steps of coloured marbles, the like of w^hich hath not been
seen: the ceilings and walls were decorated with gold and silver
and minerals, and over the entrance was a slab, whereon was an
inscription in ancient Greek; and the Sheikh Abd-Es-Samad
said: "Shall I read it, O Emeer .^" The emeer answered:
"Advance and read." So he read it; and, lo, it was poetry;
and it was this:

Here was a people whom, after their works, thou shalt see wept over for their lost

dominion ;
And in this palace is the last information respecting lords collected in the dust.

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THE CITY OF BRASS

Death hath destroyed them and disunited them, and in the dust they have lost what

they amassed;
As though they had only put down their loads to rest a while: quickly have they

departed !

And the Emeer Moosa wept and said: "There is no deity but
God, the Living, the Enduring without failure!"

Then they attentively viewed the palace ; and, lo, it was devoid
of inhabitants, destitute of household and occupants: its courts
were desolate, and its apartments were deserted; and in the
midst of it was a chamber covered with a lofty dome, rising high
into the air, around which were four hundred tombs.

And the Emeer Moosa drew near to the dome-crowned
chamber, and, lo, it had eight doors of sandal-wood, with nails
of gold, ornamented with stars of silver set with various jewels,
and he beheld in it a long tomb, of terrible appearance, whereon
was a tablet of iron of China; and the Sheikh Abd-Es-Samad
drew near to it, and read its inscription; and, lo, on it was
written :

Shouldst thou think upon me after the length of my age, and the vicissitudes of days

and circumstances,
I am the son of Sheddad, who held dominion over mankind and each tract of the

whole earth.
All the stubborn troops became abject unto me, and Esh-Sham from Misr unto Adnan.
In glory I reigned, abasing their kings, the people of the earth fearing my dominion;
And I beheld the tribes and armies in my power, and saw the countries and their

inhabitants dread me.
When I mounted, I beheld my army comprising a million bridles upon neighing steeds;
And I possessed wealth that could not be calculated, which I treasured up against

misfortunes,
Determining to devote the whole of my property for the purpose of extending the term

of my life.

But the Deity would nought save the execution of his purpose; and thus I became

separated from my brethren.
Death, the disuniter of mankind, came to me, and I was removed from grandeur

to the mansion of contempt;

[ 209 ]

THE ARABIAN NIGHTS

And I found the recompense of all my past actions, for which I am pledged: for I

was sinful!
Then raise thyself, lest thou be upon a brink; and beware of calamities! Mayest

thou be led aright!

And again the Emeer Moosa wept, in considering the fates of the
people; after which, as they were going about through the differ-
ent apartments of the palace, and viewing attentively its chambers
and its places of diversion, they came to a table upon four legs
of alabaster, whereon was inscribed:

Upon this table have eaten a thousand one-eyed kings, and a thousand kings each
sound in both eyes. All of them have quitted the world, and taken up their abode in
the burial-grounds and the graves.

And the Emeer Moosa wTote down all this. Then he went forth,
and took not with him from the palace aught save the table.

The soldiers proceeded, with the Sheikh Abd-Es-Samad before
them shewing them the way, until all the first day had passed, and
the second, and the third. They then came to a high hill, at
which they looked, and, lo, upon it was a horseman of brass, on
the top of whose spear was a wide and glistening head that almost
deprived the beholder of sight, and on it was inscribed:

O thou who comest unto me, if thou know not the way that leadeth to the City of
Brass, rub the hand of the horseman, and he will turn, and then will stop, and in
whatsoever direction he stoppeth, thither proceed, without fear and without difficulty;
for it will lead thee to the City of Brass.

And when the Emeer Moosa had rubbed the hand of the
horseman, it turned like the blinding lightning, and faced a
different direction from that in which they were travelling.

The party therefore turned thither and journeyed on, and it
was the right way. They took that route, and continued their
course the same day and the next night until they had traversed
a wide tract of country. And as they were proceeding, one day,
they came to a pillar of black stone, wherein was a person sunk

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THE CITY OF BRASS

to his arm-pits, and he had two huge wings, and four arms ; two
of them like those of the sons of Adam, and two like the fore-legs
of lions, with claws. He had hair upon his head like the tails
of horses, and two eyes like two burning coals, and he had a third
eye, in his forehead, like the eye of the lynx, from which there
appeared sparks of fire. He was black and tall; and he w^as
crying out: "Extolled be the perfection of my Lord, who hath
appointed me this severe affliction and painful torture until the
day of resurrection!" When the party beheld him, their reason
fled from them, and they were stupefied at the sight of his form,
and retreated in flight ; and the Emeer Moosa said to the Sheikh
Abd-Es-Samad : " What is this .^ " He answered: "I know not
what he is." And the emeer said: "Draw near to him, and
investigate his case: perhaps he will discover it, and perhaps
thou wilt learn his history." So the Sheikh Abd-Es-Samad
drew near to him, and said to him: "O thou person, what is thy
name, and what is thy nature, and what hath placed thee here in
this manner ?" And the person answered him : '* As to me, I am an
efreet of the genies, and my name is Dahish, and I am restrained
here by the majesty of God." Then the Emeer Moosa said : " O
Sheikh Abd-Es-Samad, ask him what is the cause of his confine-
ment in this pillar." He therefore asked respecting that, and the
efreet answered him: "Verily my story is wonderful; and it is
this:

"There belonged to one of the sons of Iblees an idol of red
carnelian, of which I was made guardian; and there used to
worship it one of the Kings of the Sea, of great glory, leading,
among his troops of the genies, a million warriors who smote
with swords before him, and who answered his prayer in cases of
difficulty. These genies who obeyed him were under my
command and authority, following my words when I ordered

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them: all of them were in rebellion against Solomon, the son of
David; and I used to enter the body of the idol, and command
them and forbid them. Now the daughter of that king was a
frequent adorer of the idol, assiduous in the worship of it, and
she was the handsomest of the people of her age, endowed with
beauty and loveliness, and elegance and perfection; and I
described her to Solomon, on whom be peace! So he sent to her
father, saying to him: * Marry to me thy daughter, and break
thy carnelian-idol, and bear witness that there is no deity but
God, and that Solomon is the Prophet of God. But if thou refuse,
I will come to thee with forces that shall leave thee like yesterday
that hath passed.' And when the messenger of Solomon came
to him, the King of the Sea was insolent, and magnified himself
and was proud. Then he said to his viziers: 'What say ye
respecting the affair of Solomon ? For he hath sent demanding
my daughter, and commanding me to break my carnelian-idol,
and to adopt his faith.' And they replied: 'O great King, can
Solomon do aught unto thee, when thou art in the midst of this
vast sea.^ He cannot prevail against thee; since the genies
will fight on thy side; and thou shalt seek aid against him of
thine idol that thou worshippest. The right opinion is, that thou
consult thy red carnelian-idol, and hear what will be his reply:
if he counsel thee to fight him, fight him ; but otherwise, do not.'
And upon this the king went immediately, and, going in to his
idol, after he had offered a sacrifice and slain victims, fell down
before it prostrate, and began to weep, and to seek counsel.

"Thereupon I entered the body of the idol, by reason of my
ignorance, and my solicitude respecting the affair of Solomon,
and recited this couplet:

'As for me, I am not in fear of him; for I am acquainted with everything.
If he wish to wage war with me, I will go forth, and I will snatch his soul from him.*

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THE CITY OF BRASS

So when the king heard my reply to him, his heart was strength-
ened, and he determined to wage war with Solomon the Prophet
of God and to fight against him. Accordingly, when the mes-
senger of Solomon came, he inflicted upon him a painful beating,
and returned him a shameful reply; and he sent to threaten
Solomon, saying to him, by the messenger: 'Dost thou threaten
me with false words? Either come thou to me, or I will go to
thee.'

"Then the messenger returned to Solomon, and acquainted
him with all that had occurred. And when the Prophet of God
heard that, his resolution was roused, and he prepared his forces,
consisting of genies and men, and wild beasts, and birds and
reptiles. He commanded his vizier, Ed-Dimiryat, the king of the
genies, to collect them from every place: so he collected for him,
of the devils, six hundred millions. He also commanded Asaf,
his vizier of men, to collect his soldiers of mankind; and their
number was one million, or more. He made ready the accoutre-
ments and weapons, and mounted, with his forces, upon the magic
carpet, w^ith the birds flying over his head, and the wild beasts
beneath the carpet marching, until he alighted upon his enemy's
coast, and surrounded his island, having filled the land with the
forces. He then sent to our king, saying to him : ' Behold, I have
arrived: therefore submit thyself to my authority, and acknowl-
edge my mission, and break thine idol, and worship the One, the
Adored God, and marry to me thy daughter according to law,
and say thou, and those who are with thee, I testify that there is
no deity but God, and I testify that Solomon is the Prophet of
God. If thou say that, peace and safety shall be thy lot. But
if thou refuse, thy defending thyself from me in this island shall
not prevent thee: for God hath commanded the wind to obey
me, and I will order it to convey me unto thee on the carpet, and

[ 213 1

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will make thee an example to restrain others.' So the messenger
came to him, and communicated to him the message of the
Prophet! But the king said to him: 'There is no way for the
accomplishment of this thing that he requireth : therefore inform
him that I am coming forth unto him.' Accordingly the messenger
returned to Solomon, and gave him the reply. The king then
sent to the people of his country, and collected for himself, of
the genies that were under his authority, a million ; and to these
he added others, of the devils that were in the islands and on the
mountains ; after which he made ready his forces, and opened the
armouries, and distributed to them the weapons. And as to the
Prophet of God, he disposed his troops, commanding the wild
beasts to form themselves into two divisions, on the right of the
people and on their left, and commanding the birds to be upon
the islands. He ordered them also when the assault should
be made, to tear out the eyes of their antagonists with their beaks,
and to beat their faces with their wings ; and he ordered the wild
beasts to tear in pieces their horses ; and they replied : * We hear
and obey God and thee, O Prophet of God!' Then Solomon
set for himself a couch of alabaster adorned with jewels, and
plated with plates of red gold, and he placed his vizier Asaf on
the right side, and his vizier, Ed-Dimiryat, on the left side, and the
kings of mankind on his right, and the kings of the genies on his
left, and the wild beasts and the vipers and serpents before him.
"After this, they came upon us all together, and we contended
with him in a wide tract for a period of two days; and calamity
befell us on the third day, and the decree of God was executed
among us. The first who charged upon Solomon were I and
my troops; and I said to my companions: 'Keep in your places
in the battle-field while I go forth to them and challenge Ed-
Dimiryat.' And, lo, he came forth, like a great mountain, his

[ 214 ]

THE CITY OF BRASS

fires flaming, and his smoke ascending; and he approached, and
smote me with a flaming fire; and his arrow prevailed over my
fire. He cried out at me with a prodigious cry, so that I imagined
the heaven had fallen, and the mountains shook at his voice.
Then he commanded his companions, and they charged upon us
all together: we also charged upon them: the fires rose and the
smoke ascended, the hearts of the combatants were almost cleft
asunder, and the battle raged. The birds fought in the air; and
the wild beasts in the dust; and I contended with Ed-Dimiryat
until he wearied me and I wearied him; after which my com-
panions and troops w^ere enervated, and my tribes were routed.
I flew from before Ed-Dimiryat; but he followed me a journey of
three months, until he overtook me. I had fallen down through
fatigue, and he rushed upon me, and made me a prisoner. So
I said to him : ' By Him who hath exalted thee and abased me,
pity me, and take me before Solomon.' But when I came
before Solomon, he met me in a most evil manner: he caused
this pillar to be brought, and hollowed it, and put me in it, and
sealed me with his signet; after which, he chained me, and Ed-
Dimiryat conveyed me to this place, where he set me down as
thou seest me; and this pillar is my prison until the day of
resurrection."

The party therefore wondered at him, and at the horrible
nature of his form; and the Emeer Moosa said: *' There is no
deity but God!" And the Sheikh Abd-Es-Samad said to the
efreet: "O thou, I ask thee concerning a thing of which do thou
inform us." The efreet replied: "Ask concerning what thou
wilt." And the sheikh said: "Are there in this place any of the
efreets confined in bottles of brass from the time of Solomon.^"
He answered: "Yes, in the Sea of El-Karkar, where are a people
of the descendants of Noah, whose country the deluge reached

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THE ARABIAN NIGHTS

not, and they are separated there from the rest of the sons of
Adam." *'And where," said the sheikh, "is the way to the City
of Brass, and the place wherein are the bottles ? What distance
is there between us and it ?" The efreet answered: "It is near."
So the party left him, and proceeded ; and there appeared to them
in the distance a great black object, with two fires corresponding
with each other in position; whereupon the Emeer Moosa said
to the sheikh: "What is this great black object, and these two
corresponding fires .^" The guide answered him: "Be rejoiced,
O Emeer; for this is the City of Brass, and this is the appearance
of it that I find described in the Book of Hidden Treasures;
that its wall is of black stones, and it hath two towers of brass,
which the beholder seeth resembling two corresponding fires;
and thence it is named the City of Brass." They ceased not to
proceed until they arrived at it; and, lo, it was lofty, strongly
fortified, rising high into the air, impenetrable: the height of its
walls was eighty cubits, and it had five and twenty gates, none
of which would open but by means of some artifice. They
stopped before it, and endeavoured to discover one of its gates;
but they could not; and the Emeer Moosa said to the Sheikh
Abd-Es-Samad : "O sheikh, I see not to this city any gate."
The sheikh replied: "O Emeer, thus do I find it described in
the Book of Hidden Treasures; that it hath five and twenty
gates, and that none of its gates may be opened but from
within the city." "And how," said the emeer, "can we
contrive to enter it, and divert ourselves with a view of its
wonders.^"

Then the Emeer Moosa ordered one of his young men to
mount a camel, and ride round the city, in the hope that he might
discover a trace of a gate. So one of his young men mounted,
and proceeded around it for two days with their nights, prose-

[ 216 ]

THE CITY OF BRASS

cuting his journey with diligence, and not resting; and when the
third day arrived, he came in sight of his companions, and he was
astounded at that which he beheld of the extent of the city, and its
height. Then he said: "O Emeer, the easiest place in it is this
place at which ye have alighted." And thereupon the Emeer
Moosa took Talib and the Sheikh Abd-Es-Samad, and they
ascended a mountain opposite the city, and overlooking it; and
when they had ascended that mountain, they saw a city than
which eyes had not beheld any greater. Its pavilions were lofty,
and its domes were shining ; its rivers were running, its trees were
fruitful, and its gardens bore ripe produce. It was a city with
impenetrable gates, empty, still, without a voice but the owl
hooting in its quarters, and the raven croaking in its thoroughfare-
streets, and bewailing those who had been in it.

And the Emeer Moosa fainted with sorrow; his tears ran
down upon his cheeks, and he said : " By Allah, indifference to the
world is the most appropriate and the most sure course!"

And when they came back to the troops, they passed the day
devising means of entering the city; and the Emeer Moosa said
to those of his chief officers who were around him: "How shall
we contrive to enter the city, that we may see its wonders ? Per-
haps we shall find in it something by which we may ingratiate
ourselves with the Prince of the Faithful." Talib replied: "Let
us make a ladder, and mount upon it, and perhaps we shall gain
access to the gate from within." And the emeer said: "This is
what occurred to my mind, and excellent is the advice." Then
he called to the carpenters and blacksmiths, and ordered them
to make straight some pieces of wood, and to construct a ladder
covered with plates of iron. And they did so, and made it
strong. They employed themselves in constructing it a whole
month, and many men were occupied in making it. And they

[ 217 ]

THE ARABIAN NIGHTS

set it up and fixed it against the wall, and it proved to be equal
to the wall in height, as though it had been made for it before
that day. So the Emeer Moosa wondered at it, and said: "God
bless you! It seemeth, from the excellence of your work, as
though ye had adapted it by measurement to the wall." He then
said to the people: "Which of you will ascend this ladder, and
mount upon the wall, and walk along it, and contrive means of
descending into the city, that he may see how the case is, and then
inform us of the mode of opening the gate .^" And one of them
answered: "I will ascend it, O Emeer, and descend and open
the gate." The emeer therefore replied: "Mount. God bless
thee!" Accordingly, the man ascended the ladder until he
reached the top of it; when he stood, and fixed his eyes toward
the city, clapped his hands, and cried out with his loudest voice,
saying: " Thou art beautiful ! " Then he cast himself down into
the city, and was destroyed. So the Emeer Moosa said: "If
we do thus with all our companions, there will not remain of them
one; and we shall be unable to accomplish our affair, and the
affair of the Prince of the Faithful. Depart ye; for we have no
concern with this city." But one of them said : "Perhaps another
than this may be more steady than he." And a second ascended,
and a third, and a fourth, and a fifth; and they ceased not to
ascend by that ladder to the top of the wall, one after another,
until twelve men of them had gone, acting as acted the first.
Therefore the Sheikh Abd-Es-Samad said: "There is none for
this affair but myself, and the experienced is not like the inex-
perienced." But the Emeer Moosa said to him: "Thou shalt
not do that, nor will I allow thee to ascend to the top of this
wall; for shouldst thou die, thou wouldst be the cause of the
death of us all, and there would not remain of us one; since thou
art the guide of the party." The sheikh, however, replied:

[ 218 ]

And when they had ascended that mountain they saw a city
than which eyes had not beheld any greater.

THE CITY OF BRASS

"Perhaps the object will be accomplished by my means, through
the will of God, whose name be exalted!" And thereupon all
the people agreed to his ascending.

Then Abd-Es-Samad arose, and, having said: "In the name
of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful!" — he ascended the
ladder, repeating the praises of God, and reciting the Verses of
Safety, until he reached the top of the w all ; when he clapped his
hands, and fixed his eyes. The people therefore all called out to
him, and said: "O Sheikh Abd-Es-Samad, do not cast thyself
down! If Abd-Es-Samad fall, we all perish!" Then Abd-Es-
Samad sat a long time repeating the praises of God, and reciting
the Verses of Safety ; after which he rose with energy, and called
out with his loudest voice: "O Emeer, no harm shall befall you;
for God hath averted from me the effect of the artifice of the
Devil." So the emeer said to him: "What hast thou seen, O
Sheikh.^" He answered: "When I reached the top of the wall
I beheld ten damsels, like moons, who made a sign with their
hands, as though they would say : ' Come to us ! ' And it seemed to
me that beneath me was a sea of water; whereupon I desired to
cast myself down, as our companions did: but I beheld them
dead ; so I withheld myself from them, and recited some words of
the book of God, whereupon He averted from me the influence
of those damsels, and they departed ; therefore I cast not myself
down. There is no doubt that this is an enchantment which the
people of this city contrived in order to repel from it every one
who should wish to obtain access to it."

He then walked along the wall till he came to the two towers
of brass, when he saw that they had gates of gold, without any
sign of the means of opening them. Therefore the sheikh,
looking attentively, saw in the middle of one of the gates a figure
of a horseman of brass, having one hand extended, as though he

[ ^19 ]

THE ARABIAN NIGHTS

were pointing with it, and on it was an inscription, which the
sheikh read, and, lo, it contained these words:

Turn the pin that is in the middle of the front of the horseman's body twelve
times, and then the gate will open.

So he turned the pin twelve times ; whereupon the gate opened
immediately, with a noise like thunder; and the sheikh entered.
He was a learned man, acquainted with all languages and
characters. And he walked on until he entered a long passage,
whence he descended some steps, and he found a place with
handsome wooden benches, on which were people dead, and
over their heads were elegant shields, and keen swords, and
strung bows, and notched arrows. And behind the next gate
were a bar of iron, and barricades of wood, and locks of delicate
fabric, and strong apparatus. Upon this, the sheikh said within
himself: "Perhaps the keys are with these people." Then he
looked, and, lo, there was a sheikh who appeared to be the oldest
of them, and he was upon a high wooden bench among the dead
men. So Abd-Es-Samad said: "May not the keys of the city
be with this sheikh ! Perhaps he was the gate-keeper of the city,
and these were under his authority." He therefore drew near
to him, and lifted up his garments, and, lo, the keys were hung
to his waist. At the sight of them, Abd-Es-Samad rejoiced
exceedingly; and he took the keys, opened the locks, and pulled
the gate and the barricades and other apparatus, which opened
and the gate also opened, with a noise like thunder. Upon this
the sheikh exclaimed: "God is most great!" and the people
made the same exclamation with him, rejoicing at the event.
The Emeer Moosa also rejoiced at the safety of Abd-Es-Samad,
and at the opening of the gate of the city; the people thanked
him for that which he had done, and all the troops hastened to

[ 220 ]

THE CITY OF BRASS

enter the gate. But the Emeer Moosa cried out to them, saying
to them: "O people, if all of us enter, we shall not be secure from
accident. Half shall enter, and half shall remain behind."

The Emeer Moosa then entered the gate, and with him half
of the people, who bore their weapons of war. And the party
saw their companions lying dead: so they buried them. They
saw also the gate-keepers and servants and chamberlains and
lieutenants lying upon beds of silk, all of them dead. And they
entered the market of the city, and beheld that the shops were
open, and the scales hung up, and the utensils of brass ranged
in order, and the stores were full of all kinds of goods. And they
saw the merchants dead in their shops: their skins were dried,
and they had become examples to him who would be admonished.
And they left this place, and passed on to the silk-market, in
which were silks and brocades interwoven with red gold and
white silver upon various colours, and the owners were dead,
lying upon skins, and appearing almost as though they would
speak. Leaving these, they went on to the market of jewels
and pearls and jacinths; and they left it, and passed on to the
market of the money-changers, whom they found dead, with
varieties of silks beneath them, and their shops were filled with
gold and silver. These they left, and they proceeded to the
markets of the perfumers; and, lo, their shops were filled with
varieties of perfumes, and bags of musk, and ambergris, and
aloes- wood, and camphor; and the owners w^ere all dead, not
having with them any food. And when they went forth from the
market of the perfumers, they found near unto it a palace, deco-
rated, and strongly constructed; and they entered it, and found
banners unfurled, and drawn swords, and strung bows and
shields hung up by chains of gold and silver, and helmets gilded
with red gold. And in the passages of that palace were benches

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of ivory, ornamented with plates of brilliant gold, and with silk,
on which were men whose skins had dried upon the bones; the
ignorant would imagine them to be sleeping; but, from the want
of food, they had died, and tasted mortality.

And the Emeer Moosa went on into the interior of the palace.
There he beheld a great hall, and four large and lofty chambers,
each one fronting another, wide, decorated with gold and silver
and with various colours. In the midst of the hall was a great
fountain of alabaster, over which was a canopy of brocade; and
in those chambers were fountains lined with marble; and
channels of water flowed along the floors of those chambers,
the four streams meeting in a great tank lined with marbles of
various colours. The Emeer Moosa then said to the Sheikh
Abd-Es-Samad : "Enter these chambers with us." So they
entered the first chamber ; and they found it filled with gold and
with white silver, and pearls and jewels, and jacinths and
precious minerals. They found in it also chests full of red and
yellow and white brocades. And they went thence to the second
chamber, and opened a closet in it, and, lo, it was filled with
arms and weapons of war, consisting of gilded helmets, and coats
of mail, and swords, and lances, and maces, and other instruments
of war and battle. Then they passed thence to the third cham-
ber, in which they found closets having upon their doors closed
locks, and over them were curtains worked with various kinds
of embroidery. They opened one of these closets, and found it
filled with weapons decorated with varieties of gold and silver
and jewels. And they went thence to the fourth chamber, where
also they found closets, one of which they opened, and they found
it full of utensils for food and drink, consisting of various vessels
of gold and silver, and saucers of crystal, and cups set with
brilliant pearls and cups of carnelian, and other things. So

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THE CITY OF BRASS

they began to take what suited them of those things, and each of
the soldiers carried off what he could. And when they determined
to go forth from those chambers, they saw there a door inlaid
with ivory and ebony, and adorned with plates of brilliant gold.
Over it was hung a curtain of silk worked with various kinds of
embroidery, and upon it were locks of white silver, to be opened
by artifice, without a key. The Sheikh Abd-Es-Samad therefore
advanced to those locks, and he opened them by his knowledge
and excellent skill. And the party entered a passage paved
with marble, upon the sides of which were curtains whereon were
figured various wild beasts and birds, all these being worked with
red gold and white silver, and their eyes were of pearls and
jacinths: whosoever beheld them was confounded.

They then passed on, and found a saloon constructed of
polished marble adorned with jewels. The beholder imagined
that upon its floor was running water, and if any one walked
upon it he would slip. The Emeer Moosa therefore ordered the
Sheikh Abd-Es-Samad to throw upon it something that they
might be enabled to walk on it; and he did this, and contrived
so that they passed on. And they found in it a great dome con-
structed of stones gilded with red gold. The party had not
beheld, in all that they had seen, anything more beautiful than
it. And in the midst of that dome was a great dome-crowned
structure of alabaster, around which were lattice windows,
decorated, and adorned with oblong emeralds, such as none of
the kings could procure. In it was a pavilion of brocade, raised
upon columns of red gold, and within this were birds, the feet
of which were of emeralds; beneath each bird was a net of
brilliant pearls, spread over a fountain; and by the brink of the
fountain was placed a couch adorned with pearls and jewels and
jacinths, whereon was a damsel resembling the shining sun.

[ 223 ]

THE ARABIAN NIGHTS

Eyes had not beheld one more beautiful. Upon her was a
garment of brilliant pearls, on her head was a crown of red gold,
with a fillet of jewels, on her neck was a necklace of jewels in
the middle of which were refulgent gems, and upon her forehead
were two jewels the light of which was like that of the sun;
and she seemed as though she were looking at the people, and
observing them to the right and left. When the Emeer Moosa
beheld this damsel, he w^ondered extremely at her loveliness, and
was confounded by her beauty and the redness of her cheeks
and the blackness of her hair. Any beholder would imagine
that she was alive, and not dead. And they said to her: "Peace
be on thee, O damsel!" But Talib said to the emeer: "May
God amend thy state! Know that this damsel is dead. There
is no life in her. How then can she return the salutation.^"
And he added: "O Emeer, she is skilfully embalmed ; and her
eyes have been taken out after her death, and quicksilver hath
been put beneath them, after which they have been restored to
their places; so they gleam; and whenever the air putteth them
in motion, the beholder imagineth that she twinkleth her eyes,
though she is dead."

And as to the couch upon w hich was the damsel, it had steps,
and upon the steps were two slaves, one of them white and the
other black; and in the hand of one of them was a weapon of
steel, and in the hand of the other a jewelled sword that blinded
the eyes; and before the two slaves was a tablet of gold, whereon
was read an inscription, which was this:

In the name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful. Praise be to God, the
Creator of Man; and He is the Lord of lords, and the Cause of causes. O thou, if
thou know me not, I will acquaint thee with my name and my descent. I am Tedmur,
the daughter of the King of the Amalekites. I possessed what none of the kings
possessed, and ruled with justice, and acted impartially toward my subjects: I gave
and bestowed, and I lived a long time in the enjoyment of happiness and <m easy

[ 224 ]

THE CITY OF BRASS

life, and possessing emancipated female and male slaves. Thus I did until the sum-
moner of death came to my abode, and disasters occurred before me. And the case
was this: Seven years in succession came upon us, during which no water descended
on us from heaven, nor did any grass grow for us on the face of the earth. So we ate
what food we had in our dwellings, and after that we fell upon the beasts and ate them,
and there remained nothing. Upon this, therefore, I caused the wealth to be brought,
and meted it with a measure, and sent it by trusty men, who went about with it through
all the districts, not leaving unvisited a single large city, to seek for some food. But
they found it not; and they returned to us with the wealth, after a long absence. So
thereupon we exposed to view our riches and our treasures, locked the gates of the
fortresses in our city, and submitted ourselves to the decree of our Lord, committing
our case to our Master; and thus we all died, as thou beholdest, and left what we had
built and what we had treasured. This is our story: Whoso arriveth at our city,
and entereth it, let him take of the wealth what he can, but not touch anything that is on
my body; for it is the covering of my person. Therefore let him fear God, and not
seize aught of it; for he would destroy himself. Peace be on you! I beg God, more-
over, to save you from the evil of trials and sickness

The Emeer Moosa, when he heard these words, again wept
and was admonished by w^hat he w^itnessed. He then said to
his companions: "Bring the sacks, and fill them wdth part of
these riches and these vessels and rarities and jew^els." And
thereupon, Talib, the son of Sahl, said to the Emeer Moosa:
*'0 Emeer, shall we leave this damsel with the things that are
upon her ? They are things that have no equal, nor is the like
of them at any time found, and they are more than the riches
thou hast taken, and will be the best present by which thou
mayest ingratiate thyself w^ith the Prince of the Faithful." But
the emeer replied: "Heardest thou not that w^hich the damsel
hath given as a charge, in the inscription upon this tablet?
Moreover, and especially, she hath given it as a charge offered in
confidence, and we are not of the people of treachery." The
Vizier Talib, however, said: *'And on account of these words
wilt thou leave these riches and these jewels, when she is dead ?
What then should she do w ith these things, which are the orna-
ments of the world, and the decoration of the living.^ With a

[ 225 ]

THE ARABIAN NIGHTS

garment of cotton might this damsel be covered, and we are more
worthy of the things than she." Then he drew near to the steps^
and ascended them until he reached the spot between the two
slaves, when, lo, one of these two smote him upon his back, and
the other smote him with the sword that was in his hand, and
struck off his head, and he fell down dead. So the Emeer
Moosa said: "May God not regard with mercy thy resting-
place! There was, in these riches, a sufficiency; and covetous-
ness doth dishonour the person in w^hom it existeth!" He there-
upon gave orders for the entry of the troops, who accordingly
entered, and they loaded the camels with part of those riches
and minerals; after which the Emeer Moosa commanded them
to close the gate as it was before.

They then proceeded along the sea-coast until they came in
sight of a high mountain overlooking the sea. In it were many
caves, and, lo, in these was a people of the blacks, clad in hides,
and with burnouses of hides upon their heads, whose language
was not known. And when they saw the troops, they ran away
from them, and fled, w^hile their women and their children stood
at the entrances of the caves. So the Emeer Moosa said:
"O Sheikh Abd-Es-Samad, what are these people.^" And he
answered: "These are the objects of the inquiry of the Prince
of the Faithful." They therefore alighted, and the tents were
pitched, and the riches were put down ; and they had not rested
when the king of the blacks came down from the mountain, and
drew near to the troops. He was acquainted with the Arabic
language; wherefore, when he came to the Emeer Moosa, he
saluted him; and the emeer returned his salutation, and treated
him with honour. Then the king of the blacks said to the
emeer: "Are ye of mankind, or of the genies.?" The emeer
answered: "As to us, we are of mankind; and as to you, there is

[ 226 ]

THE CITY OF BRASS

no doubt but that ye are of the genies, because of your seclusion
in this mountain that is separated from the world, and because
of the greatness of your make." But the king of the blacks
replied: "Nay, we are a people of the race of Adam, of the sons
of Ham, the son of Noah, on whom be peace! And as to this
sea, it is known by the name of El-Karkar."

The Emeer Moosa then said to him: '* We are the associates
of the King of El-Islam, Abd-El-Melik the son of Marwan ; and
we have come on account of the bottles of brass that are here in
your sea, and wherein are the devils imprisoned from the time
of Solomon, the son of David. He hath commanded us to bring
him some of them, that he may see them, and divert himself
by the view of them." And the king of the blacks replied : '* Most
willingly." Then he feasted him with fish, and ordered the
divers to bring up from the sea some of the bottles of Solomon;
and they brought up for them twelve bottles; wherewith the
Emeer Moosa was delighted, and the Sheikh Abd-Es-Samad
also, and the soldiers, on account of the accomplishment of the
affair of the Prince of the Faithful. The Emeer Moosa thereupon
presented to the king of the blacks many presents, and gave him
large gifts. In like manner, too, the king of the blacks gave to
the Emeer Moosa a present consisting of wonders of the sea.

Then they bade him farewell, and they journeyed back until
they came to the land of Syria, and went in to the Prince of the
Faithful; whereupon the Emeer Moosa acquainted him with all
that he had seen, and all that had occurred to him with respect
to the verses and histories and admonitions, and told him of the
case of Talib the son of Sahl. And the Prince of the Faithful
saidto him: "Would that I had been with you, that I might
have beheld what ye beheld!" He then took the bottles, and
proceeded to open one after another, and the devils came forth

[ 227 ]

THE ARABIAN NIGHTS

from them, saying: "Repentance, O Prophet of God! We will
not return to the like conduct ever!" And Abd-El-Melik the
son of Marwan wondered at this. After this, the Prince of the
Faithful caused the riches to be brought before him, and divided
them among the people. And he said: "God hath not bestowed
upon any one the like of what He bestowed upon Solomon the
son of David."

This is the end of that which hath come down to us, of the
history of the City of Brass, entire. And God is all-knowing.

[ 228 ]

THE STORY OF A LI BAB A AND THE
FORTY THIEVES

IN a town in Persia, there lived two brothers, one named
Cassim, the other Ali Baba. Their father left them
scarcely anything; but as he had divided his little
property equally between them, it would seem that their fortune
ought to have been equal; but chance determined otherwise.

Cassim married a wife, who soon after became heiress to a
large sum, and to a warehouse full of rich goods; so that he all
at once became one of the richest and most considerable mer-
chants, and lived at his ease. Ali Baba, on the other hand, who
had married a woman as poor as himself, lived in a very wretched
habitation, and had no other means to maintain his wife and
children but his daily labour of cutting wood, and bringing it to
town to sell, upon three asses, which were his whole substance.

One day, when Ali Baba was in the forest, and had just
cut wood enough to load his asses, he saw at a distance a
great cloud of dust, which seemed to be driven toward him : he
observed it very attentively, and distinguished soon after a body
of horse. Though there had been no rumour of robbers in that
country, Ali Baba began to think that they might prove such, and
without considering what might become of his asses, was resolved
to save himself. He climbed up a large, thick tree, whose
branches, at a little distance from the ground, w^ere so close to
one another that there was but little space between them. He
placed himself in the middle, from whence he could see all

[ 229 ]

THE ARABIAN NIGHTS

that passed without being discovered; and the tree stood at the
base of a single rock, so steep and craggy that nobody could
climb up it.

The troop, who were all well mounted and armed, came to the
foot of this rock, and there dismounted. Ali Baba counted
forty of them, and, from their looks and equipage, was assured
that they were robbers. Nor was he mistaken in his opinion;
for they were a troop of banditti, who, without doing any harm
to the neighbourhood, robbed at a distance, and made that place
their rendezvous; but what confirmed him in his opinion was,
that every man unbridled his horse, tied him to some shrub, and
hung about his neck a bag of corn which they brought behind
them. Then each of them took his saddle wallet, which seemed
to Ali Baba to be full of gold and silver from its weight. One,
who was the most personable amongst them, and whom he took
to be their captain, came wuth his w^allet on his back under the
tree in w^hich Ali Baba w^as concealed, and making his way
through some shrubs, pronounced these words so distinctly:
" Open, Sesame,'^ that Ali Baba heard him. As soon as the captain
of the robbers had uttered these w ords, a door opened in the rock ;
and after he had made all his troop enter before him, he followed
them, when the door shut again of itself. The robbers stayed
some time within the rock, and Ali Baba, who feared that some
one, or all of them together, might come out and catch him, if he
should endeavour to make his escape, was obliged to sit patiently
in the tree. He was nevertheless tempted to get down, mount
one of their horses, and lead another, driving his asses before
him with all the haste he could to town; but the uncertainty of
the event made him choose the safest course.

At last the door opened again, and the forty robbers came out.
As the captain went in last, he came out first, and stood to see

[ 230 ]

\

ALI BABA AND THE FORTY THIEVES

them all pass by him, when Ali Baba heard him make the door
close by pronouncing these words: ^' Shut, Sesame.'' Every man
went and bridled his horse, fastened his wallet, and mounted
again ; and when the captain saw them all ready, he put himself
at their head, and they returned the way they had come. Ali
Baba did not immediately quit his tree; for, said he to himself,
they may have forgotten something and may come back again,
and then I shall be taken. He follow^ed them with his eyes as
far as he could see them; and afterward stayed a considerable
time before he descended. Remembering the words the captain
of the robbers used to cause the door to open and shut, he had
the curiosity to try if his pronouncing them w^ould have the same
effect. Accordingly, he w^ent among the shrubs, and perceiving
the door concealed behind them, stood before it, and said:
*' Open, Sesame r' The door instantly flew wide open. Ali
Baba, who expected a dark dismal cavern, was surprised to see
it well lighted and spacious, in the form of a vault, which received
the light from an opening at the top of the rock. He saw all
sorts of provisions, rich bales of silk stuff, brocade, and valuable
carpeting, piled upon one another; gold and silver ingots in
great heaps, and money in bags. The sight of all these riches
made him suppose that this cave must have been occupied for
ages by robbers, who had succeeded one another. Ali Baba
did not stand long to consider what he should do, but went im-
mediately into the cave, and as soon as he had entered, the door
shut of itself, but this did not disturb him, because he knew the
secret to open it again. He never regarded the silver, but made
the best use of his time in carrying out as much of the gold coin as
he thought his three asses could carry. He collected his asses,
which were dispersed, and when he had loaded them with the
bags, laid wood over in such a manner that they could not be

[ 231 ]

THE ARABIAN NIGHTS

seen. When he had done he stood before the door, and pro-
nouncing the words: "Shut, Sesame /" the door closed after him,
for it had shut of itself while he was within, but remained open
while he was out. He then made the best of his way to town.-
When Ali Baba got home, he drove -his asses into a little
yard, shut the gates very carefully, threw off the wood that covered
the bags, carried them into his house, and ranged them in order
before his wife, who sat on a sofa. His wife handled the bags,
and finding them full of money, suspected that her husband had
been robbing, insomuch that she could not help saying: "Ali

Baba, have you been so unhappy as to "" "Be quiet, wife,"

interrupted Ali Baba, "do not frighten yourself; I am no robber,
unless he may be one who steals from robbers. You will no
longer entertain an ill opinion of me, w^hen I shall tell you my
good fortune." He then emptied the bags, which raised such a
great heap of gold as dazzled his wife's eyes; and when he had
done, told her the whole adventure from beginning to end; and,
above all, recommended her to keep it secret. The wife, cured
of her fears, rejoiced with her husband at their good fortune, and
would count all the gold piece by piece. "Wife," replied Ali
Baba, "you do not know what you undertake, when you pretend
to count the money ; you will never have done. I will dig a hole,
and bury it; there is no time to be lost." "You are in the right,
husband," replied she; "but let us know, as nigh as possible,
how much we have. I will borrow a small measure in the neigh-
bourhood, and measure it, while you dig the hole." "What you
are going to do is to no purpose, wife," said Ali Baba; "if you
would take my advice, you had better let it alone; but keep the
secret, and do what you please." Away the wife ran to her
brother-in-law Cassim, who lived just by, but was not then at
home ; and addressing herself to his wife, desired her to lend her

[ 232 ]

ALI BABA AND THE FORTY THIEVES

a measure for a little while. Her sister-in-law asked her, whether
she would have a great or a small one. The wife asked for a
small one. The sister-in-law agreed to lend one, but as she knew
Ali Baba's poverty, she was curious to know what sort of grain
his wife wanted to measure, and artfully putting some suet at
the bottom of the measure, brought it to her with an excuse, that
she was sorry that she had made her stay so long, but that she
could not find it sooner. Ali Baba's wife went home, set the
measure upon the heap of gold, filled it and emptied it often upon
the sofa, till she had done: when she was very well satisfied to
find the number of measures amounted to so many as they did,
and went to tell her husband, who had almost finished digging the
hole. While Ali Baba w^as burying the gold, his w^ife, to show
her exactness and diligence to her sister-in-law, carried the
measure back again, but without taking notice that a piece of
gold had stuck to the bottom. "Sister," said she, giving it to
her again, "you see that I have not kept your measure long;
I am obliged to you for it, and return it with thanks."

As soon as her sister-in-law w^as gone, Cassim's wife looked at
the bottom of the measure, and was inexpressibly surprised to find
a piece of gold stuck to it. Envy immediately possessed her
breast. "What!" said she, "has Ali Baba gold so plentiful
as to measure it ? W' here has that poor wretch got all this
wealth.?" Cassim, her husband, was not at home, but at his
counting-house, which he left always in the evening. His wife
waited for him, and thought the time an age; so great was her
impatience to tell him the circumstance, at which she guessed
he would be as much surprised as herself.

W^hen Cassim came home, his wife said to him: "Cassim, I
know you think yourself rich, but you are much mistaken; Ali
Baba is infinitely richer than you ; he does not count his money,

[ 233 ]

THE ARABIAN NIGHTS

but measures it." Cassim desired her to explain the riddle, which
she did, by telling him the stratagem she had used to make the
discovery, and showed him the piece of money, which was so old
that they could not tell in what prince's reign it was coined.
Cassim, instead of being pleased, conceived a base envy at his
brother's prosperity; he could not sleep all that night, and went
to him in the morning before sunrise, although after he had
married the rich widow, he had never treated him as a brother,
but neglected him. "Ali Baba," said he, accosting him, "you
are very reserved in your affairs; you pretend to be miserably
poor, and yet you measure gold." "How, brother.^" replied
Ali Baba; "I do not know what you mean: explain yourself."
"Do not pretend ignorance," replied Cassim, showing him the
piece of gold his wife had given him. "How many of these
pieces," added he, "have you ? My wife found this at the bot-
tom of the measure you borrowed yesterday."

By this discourse, Ali Baba perceived that Cassim and his
wife, through his own wife's folly, knew what they had so much
reason to conceal; but what was done could not be recalled;
therefore, without shewing the least surprise or trouble, he con-
fessed all, told his brother by what chance he had discovered this
retreat of the thieves, in what place it was ; and offered him part
of his treasure to keep the secret. "I expect as much," replied
Cassim haughtily; "but I must know exactly where this treasure
is, and how I may visit it myself when I choose ; otherwise I will
go and inform against you, and then you will not only get no
more, but will lose all you have, and I shall have a share for my
information."

Ali Baba, more out of his natural good temper, than frightened
by the menaces of his unnatural brother, told him all he desired, and
even the very words he was to use to gain admission into the cave.

[ 234 ]

ALI BABA AND THE FORTY THIEVES

Cassim, who wanted no more of Ali Baba, left him, resolving
to be beforehand with him, and hoping to get all the treasure to
himself. He rose the next morning long before the sun, and set
out for the forest with ten mules bearing great chests, which he
designed to fill; and followed the road which Ali Baba had
pointed out to him. He was not long before he reached the rock,
and found out the place by the tree, and other marks, which his
brother had given him. When he reached the entrance of the
cavern, he pronounced the words: " Open, Sesame!" and the door
immediately opened, and when he was in, closed upon him. In
examining the cave, he was in great admiration to find much more
riches than he had apprehended from Ali Baba's account. He was
so covetous, and greedy of wealth, that he could have spent the
whole day in feasting his eyes w^ith so much treasure, if the thought
that he came to carry some away had not hindered him. He
laid as many bags of gold as he could carry at the door of the
cavern, but his thoughts were so full of the great riches he should
possess, that he could not think of the necessary word to make it
open, but instead of "iSesame," said: "Open, Barley!" and was
much amazed to find that the door remained fast shut. He named
several sorts of grain, but still the door would not open. Cassim
had never expected such an incident, and was so alarmed at the
danger he was in, that the more he endeavoured to remember
the word *' Sesame," the more his memory was confounded, and he
had as much forgotten it as if he had never heard it mentioned.
He threw dow^n the bags he had loaded himself with and walked
distractedly up and down the cave, without having the least
regard to the riches that were round him. About noon the
robbers chanced to visit their cave, and at some distance from
it saw Cassim's mules straggling about the rock, with great
chests on their backs. Alarmed at this novelty, they galloped

[ 235 ]

THE ARABIAN NIGHTS

full speed to the cave. They drove away the mules, which
Cassim had neglected to fasten, and they strayed through the
forest so far, that they were soon out of sight. The robbers never
gave themselves the trouble to pursue them, being more concerned
to know to whom they belonged, and while some of them searched
about the rock, the captain and the rest went directly to the door,
with their naked sabres in their hands, and pronouncing the
proper words, it opened.

Cassim, who heard the noise of the horses' feet from the
middle of the cave, never doubted of the arrival of the robbers,
and his approaching death ; but was resolved to make one effort
to escape from them. To this end he rushed to the door, and
no sooner heard the word Sesame, w^hich he had forgotten, and
saw the door open, than he ran out and threw the leader dow^n,
but could not escape the other robbers, who with their sabres
soon deprived him of life. The first care of the robbers after
this was to examine the cave. They found all the bags which
Cassim had brought to the door, to be ready to load his mules,
and carried them again to their places, without missing what Ali
Baba had taken away before. Then holding a council, and
deliberating upon this occurrence, they guessed that Cassim,
when he was in, could not get out again ; but could not imagine
how he had entered. It came into their heads that he mio;ht
have got down by the top of the cave ; but the aperture by which
it received light was so high, and the rocks so inaccessible without,
that they gave up this conjecture. That he came in at the door
they could not believe, however, unless he had the secret of mak-
ing it open. In short, none of them could imagine which way
he had entered ; for they were all persuaded nobody knew their
secret, little imagining that Ali Baba had watched them. It was
a matter of the greatest importance to them to secure their

[ 236 ]

Cassim . . . was so alarmed at the danger he teas in that the
more he endeavoured to remember the word Sesame the
more his memory tvas confounded.

ALI BABA AND THE FORTY THIEVES

riches. They agreed therefore to cut Cassim's body into quarters,
to hang two on one side and two on the other, within the door of
the cave, to terrify any person who should attempt again to enter.
They had no sooner taken this resolution than they put it in
execution, and when they had nothing more to detain them, left
the place of their hoards well closed. They then mounted their
horses, went to beat the roads again, and to attack the caravans
they might meet.

In the meantime, Cassim's wife was very uneasy when night
came, and her husband was not returned. She ran to Ali Baba
in alarm, and said: "I believe, brother-in-law, that you know
Cassim, your brother, is gone to the forest, and upon what ac-
count ; it is now night, and he is not returned ; I am afraid some
misfortune has happened to him." Ali Baba, who had expected
that his brother, after what he had said, would go to the forest,
had declined going himself that day, for fear of giving him any
umbrage; therefore told her, without any reflection upon her
husband's unhandsome behaviour, that she need not frighten
herself, for that certainly Cassim would not think it proper to
come into the town till the night should be pretty far advanced.

Cassim's wife, considering how much it concerned her hus-
band to keep the business secret, was the more easily persuaded
to believe her brother-in-law. She w^ent home again, and waited
patiently till midnight. She repented of her foolish curiosity,
and cursed her desire of penetrating into the affairs of her
brother and sister-in-law. She spent all the night in weeping;
and as soon as it was day, went to them, telling them, by her tears,
the cause of her coming. Ali Baba did not wait for his sister-in-
law to desire him to go and see what was become of Cassim, but
departed immediately with his three asses, begging of her first
to moderate her affliction. He went to the forest, and when he

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THE ARABIAN NIGHTS

came near the rock, having seen neither his brother nor the mules
in his way, was seriously alarmed at finding some blood spilt
near the door, which he took for an ill omen; but when he had
pronounced the word, and the door had opened, he was struck
with horror at the dismal sight of his brother's body. Without
adverting to the little fraternal affection his brother had shewn
for him, Ali Baba went into the cave to find something to enshroud
his remains, and having loaded one of his asses with them,
covered them over with wood. The other two asses he loaded
with bags of gold, covering them with wood also as before; and
then bidding the door shut, came away; but was so cautious
as to stop some time at the end of the forest, that he might not
go into the town before night. When he came home, he drove
the two asses loaded with gold into his little yard, and left the
care of unloading them to his wife, while he led the other to his
sister-in-law's house.

Ali Baba knocked at the door, which was opened by Morgiana,
an intelligent slave, fruitful in inventions to insure success in the
most difficult undertakings: and Ali Baba knew her to be such.
When he came into the court, he unloaded the ass, and taking
Morgiana aside, said to her: "The first thing I ask of you is an
inviolable secrecy, both for your mistress's sake and mine.
Your master's body is contained in these two bundles, and our
business is, to bury him as if he had died a natural death. Go,
tell your mistress I want to speak with her; and mind what I
have said to you."

Morgiana went to her mistress, and Ali Baba followed her.
"Well, brother," said she, with impatience, "what news do you
bring me of my husband ? I perceive no comfort in your counte-
nance." "Sister," answered Ali Baba, "I cannot satisfy your
inquiries unless you hear my story without speaking a word;

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ALI BABA AND THE FORTY THIEVES

for it is of as great importance to you as to me to keep what has
happened secret." "Alas!" said she, '*this preamble lets me
know that my husband is not to be found ; but at the same time
I know the necessity of secrecy, and I must constrain myself:
say on, I will hear you."

Ali Baba then detailed the incidents of his journey, till he
came to the finding of Cassim's body. "Now," said he, "sister,
I have something to relate which will afflict you the more, because
it is what you so little expect; but it cannot now be remedied;
if my endeavours can comfort you, I offer to put that which God
hath sent me to what you have, and marry you: assuring you
that my wife will not be jealous, and that we shall live happily
together. If this proposal is agreeable to you, we must think of
acting so that my brother should appear to have died a natural
death. I think you may leave the management of the business
to Morgiana, and I will contribute all that lies in my power to
your consolation." What could Cassim's widow do better than
accept of this proposal ? for though her first husband had left
behind him a plentiful substance, his brother was now much richer,
and by the discovery of this treasure might be still more so.
Instead, therefore, of rejecting the offer, she regarded it as the sure
means of comfort ; and drying up her tears, which had begun to
flow abundantly, and suppressing the outcries usual with women
who have lost their husbands, showed Ali Baba that she approved
of his proposal. Ali Baba left the widow, recommended to Mor-
giana to act her part well, and then returned home with his ass.

Morgiana went out at the same time to an apothecary, and
asked for a sort of lozenges which he prepared, and were very
efficacious in the most dangerous disorders. The apothecary
inquired who was ill at her master's ? She replied with a sigh,
her good master Cassim himself: that they knew not what his

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THE ARABIAN NIGHTS

disorder was, but that he could neither eat nor speak. After
these words, Morgiana carried the lozenges home with her, and
the next morning went to the same apothecary's again, and with
tears in her eyes, asked for an essence which they used to give
to sick people only when at the last extremity. "Alas!" said
she, taking it from the apothecary, "I am afraid that this remedy
will have no better effect than the lozenges ; and that I shall lose
my good master." On the other hand, as Ali Baba and his wife
were often seen to go between Cassim's and their own house all
that day, and to seem melancholy, nobody was surprised in the
evening to hear the lamentable shrieks and cries of Cassim's
wife and Morgiana, who gave out everywhere that her master was
dead. The next morning, soon after day appeared, Morgiana,
who knew a certain old cobbler that opened his stall early, before
other people, went to him, and bidding him good morrow, put a
piece of gold into his hand. "Well," said Baba Mustapha,
which was his name, and who was a merry old fellow, looking at
the gold, "this is good hansel: what must I do for it.^ I am
ready."

"Baba Mustapha," said Morgiana, "you must take with you
your sewing tackle, and go with me; but I must tell you, I shall
blindfold you when you come to such a place." Baba Mustapha
seemed to hesitate a little at these words. "Oh! oh!" replied
he, "you would have me do something against my conscience or
against my honour.^" "God forbid!" said Morgiana, putting
another piece of gold into his hand, "that I should ask anything
that is contrary to your honour; only come along with me, and
fear nothing."

Baba Mustapha went with Morgiana, who, after she had
bound his eyes with a handkerchief, conveyed him to her deceased
master's house, and never unloosed his eyes till he had entered

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ALI BABA AND THE FORTY THIEVES

the room where she had put the corpse together. "Baba
Mustapha," said she, "you must make haste and sew these
quarters together; and when you have done, I will give you
another piece of gold." After Baba Mustapha had finished his
task, she blindfolded him again, gave him the third piece of gold
as she had promised, and recommending secrecy to him, carried
him back to the place where she first bound his eyes, pulled off
the bandage, and let him go home, but watched him that he re-
turned toward his stall, till he was quite out of sight, for fear
he should have the curiosity to return and track her.

By the time Morgiana had warmed some water to wash the
body, Ali Baba came with incense to embalm it, after which it
w^as sewn up in a winding-sheet. Not long after, the joiner,
according to Ali Baba's orders, brought the bier, which Morgiana
received at the door, and helped Ali Baba to put the body into
it; when she went to the mosque to inform the imaum that they
were ready. The people of the mosque, whose business it was
to wash the dead, offered to perform their duty, but she told them
that it was done already. Morgiana had scarcely got home before
the imaum and the other ministers of the mosque arrived.
Four neighbours carried the corpse on their shoulders to the
burying-ground, following the imaum, who recited some prayers.
Morgiana, as a slave to the deceased, followed the corpse, weep-
ing, beating her breast, and tearing her hair ; and Ali Baba came
after with some neighbours, who often relieved the others in
carrying the corpse to the burying-ground. Cassim's wife
stayed at home mourning, uttering lamentable cries with the
women of the neighbourhood, who came according to custom
during the funeral, and joining their lamentations with hers,
filled the quarter far and near with sorrow. In this manner
Cassim's melancholy death was concealed and hushed up

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THE ARABIAN NIGHTS

between Ali Baba, his wife, Cassim's widow, and Morgiana,
with so much contrivance, that nobody in the city had the least
knowledge or suspicion of the cause of it.

Three or four days after the funeral, Ali Baba removed his
few goods openly to the widow's house; but the money he had
taken from the robbers he conveyed thither by night: soon after
the marriage w^ith his sister-in-law was published, and as these
marriages are common in the Mussulman religion, nobody was
surprised. As for Cassim's warehouse, Ali Baba gave it to his
own eldest son, promising that if he managed it well, he would
soon give him a fortune to marry very advantageously according
to his situation.

Let us now leave Ali Baba to enjoy the beginning of his good
fortune, and return to the forty robbers. They came again at
the appointed time to visit their retreat in the forest; but great
was their surprise to find Cassim's body taken away, with some
of their bags of gold. "We are certainly discovered," said the
captain, "and if we do not speedily apply some remedy, shall
gradually lose all the riches which we have, with so much pains
and danger, been so many years amassing together. All that
we can think of the loss which we have sustained is, that the thief
whom we surprised had the secret of opening the door, and
we arrived luckily as he was coming out: but his body being
removed, and with it some of our money, plainly shows that
he had an accomplice; and as it is likely that there were but
two who had discovered our secret, and one has been caught, we
must look narrowly after the other. What say you, my lads.^"
All the robbers thought the captain's proposal so advisable, that
they unanimously approved of it, and agreed that they must lay
all other enterprises aside, to follow this closely, and not give it
up till they had succeeded.

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ALI BABA AND THE FORTY THIEVES

"I expected no less," said the captain, *'from your fidelity:
but, first of all, one of you who is artful, and enterprising, must
go into the town disguised as a traveller, to try if he can hear any
talk of the strange death of the man whom we have killed, as he
deserved; and endeavour to find out who he was, and where he
lived. This is a matter of the first importance for us to ascertain,
that we may do nothing which we may have reason to repent of,
by discovering ourselves in a country where we have lived so long
unknown. But to warn him who shall take upon himself this
commission, and to prevent our being deceived by his giving us
a false report, I ask you all, if you do not think that in case of
treachery, or even error of judgment, he should suffer death?"
Without waiting for the suffrages of his companions, one of the
robbers started up, and said: "I submit to this condition, and
think it an honour to expose my life, by taking the commission
upon me; but remember, at least, if I do not succeed, that I
neither wanted courage nor good will to serve the troop." After
this robber had received great commendations from the captain,
he disguised himself, and taking his leave of the troop that night,
went into the town just at daybreak; and walked up and down,
till accidentally he came to Baba Mustapha's stall, which was
always open before any of the shops.

Baba Mustapha was seated with an awl in his hand, just
going to work. The robber saluted him, bidding him good
morrow; and perceiving that he was old, said: "Honest man, you
begin to work very early: is it possible that one of your age can
see so well.? I question, even if it were somewhat lighter,
whether you could see to stitch."

"Certainly," replied Baba Mustapha, "you must be a stran-
ger, and do not know me ; for old as I am, I have extraordinarily
good eyes; and you will not doubt it when I tell you that I

[ 243 ]

THE ARABIAN NIGHTS

sewed a dead body together in a place where I had not so much
light as I have now." The robber was overjoyed to think that
he had addressed himself, at his first coming into the town, to a
man who in all probability could give him the intelligence he
wanted. **A dead body!" replied he with affected amazement.
*' What could you sew up a dead body for ? You mean you sewed
up his winding-sheet." "No, no," answered Baba Mustapha,
*'I perceive your meaning; you want to have me speak out, but
you shall know no more." The robber wanted no farther assur-
ance to be persuaded that he had discovered what he sought.
He pulled out a piece of gold, and putting it into Baba Mustapha's
hand, said to him: "I do not want to learn your secret, though I
can assure you I would not divulge it, if you trusted me with it ;
the only thing which I desire of you is, to do me the favour to shew
me the house where you stitched up the dead body."

*Tf I were disposed to do you that favour," replied Baba
Mustapha, holding the money in his hand, ready to return it,
*'I assure you I cannot. I was taken to a certain place, where
I was blinded, I was then led to the house, and afterward
brought back again in the same manner; you see, therefore, the
impossibility of my doing what you desire."

"Well," replied the robber, "you may, how^ever, remember
a little of the way that you were led blindfolded. Come, let me
blind your eyes at the same place. We will w^alk together;
perhaps you may recognise some part; and as everybody ought
to be paid for his trouble, there is another piece of gold for you ;
gratify me in what I ask you." So saying, he put another piece
of gold into his hand.

The tw^o pieces of gold were great temptations to Baba
Mustapha. He looked at them a long time in his hand, without
saying a word, thinking w^ith himself what he should do; but

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ALI BABA AND THE FORTY THIEVES

at last he pulled out his purse, and put them in. "I cannot assure
you," said he to the robber, "that I can remember the way
exactly; but since you desire, I will try what I can do." At
these words Baba Mustapha rose up, to the great joy of the
robber, and without shutting his shop, where he had nothing
valuable to lose, he led the robber to the place where Morgiana
had bound his eyes. " It was here," said Baba Mustapha, " I was
blindfolded ; and I turned as you see me." The robber, who had
his handkerchief ready, tied it over his eyes, walked by him till
he stopped, partly leading, and partly guided by him. " I think,"
said Baba Mustapha, "I went no farther," and he had now
stopped directly at Cassim's house, where Ali Baba then lived.
The thief, before he pulled off the band, marked the door with
a piece of chalk, which he had ready in his hand ; and then asked
him if he knew whose house that was ; to which Baba Mustapha
replied, that as he did not live in that neighbourhood he could
not tell. The robber, finding he could discover no more from
Baba Mustapha, thanked him for the trouble he had taken, and
left him to go back to his stall, while he returned to the forest,
persuaded that he should be very well received. A little after
the robber and Baba Mustapha had parted, Morgiana went out
of Ali Baba's house upon some errand, and upon her return,
seeing the mark the robber had made, stopped to observe it.
*'What can be the meaning of this mark?" said she to herself.
"Somebody intends my master no good: however, with whatever
intention it was done, it is advisable to guard against the worst."
Accordingly, she fetched a piece of chalk, and marked two or
three doors on each side in the same manner, without saying
a word to her master or mistress.

In the meantime the thief rejoined his troop in the forest,
and recounted to them his success. All the robbers listened to

[ 245 ]

THE ARABIAN NIGHTS

him with the utmost satisfaction; when the captain, after com-
mending his diligence, addressing himself to them all, said;
"Comrades, we have no time to lose: let us set off well armed;
but that we may not excite any suspicion, let only one or two go
into the town together, and join at our rendezvous, which shall
be the great square. In the meantime, our comrade who
brought us the good news, and I, will go and find out the house,
that we may consult what had best be done."

This plan was approved of by all, and they were soon ready.
They filed off in parties of two each, and got into the town without
being in the least suspected. The captain, and he who had
visited the town in the morning as spy, came in the last. He led
the captain into the street where he had marked Ali Baba's
residence; and when they came to the first of the houses which
Morgiana had marked, he pointed it out. But the captain
observed that the next door was chalked in the same manner;
and shewing it to his guide, asked him which house it was, that,
or the first .^ The guide was so confounded, that he knew not
what answer to make; but still more puzzled, when he saw
five or six houses similarly marked. He assured the captain,
with an oath, that he had marked but one, and could not tell
who had chalked the rest so that he could not distinguish the
house which the cobbler had stopped at.

The captain, finding that their design had proved abortive,
went directly to the place of rendezvous, and told the first of his
troop whom he met that they had lost their labour, and must
return to their cave. When the troop was all got together, the
captain told them the reason of their returning; and presently
the conductor was declared by all worthy of death. He con-
demned himself, acknowledging that he ought to have taken
better precaution, and prepared to receive the stroke from him

[ 246 ]

ALI BABA AND THE FORTY THIEVES

who was appointed to cut off his head. Another of the gang,
who promised himself that he should succeed better, immediately
presented himself, and his offer being accepted, he went and
corrupted Baba Mustapha, as the other had done; and being
shewn the house, marked it in a place more remote from sight,
with red chalk.

Not long after, Morgiana, whose eyes nothing could escape,
went out, and seeing the red chalk, and arguing with herself as
she had done before, marked the other neighbours' houses in the
same place and manner. The robber, at his return to his com-
pany, valued himself much on the precaution he had taken,
which he looked upon as an infallible way of distinguishing Ali
Baba's house from the others; and the captain and all of them
thought it must succeed. They conveyed themselves into the
town with the same precaution as before; but when the robber
and his captain came to the street, they found the same diflSculty :
at which the captain was enraged, and the robber in as great
confusion as his predecessor. Thus the captain and his troop
were forced to retire a second time, and much more dissatisfied;
while the unfortunate robber, who had been the author of the
mistake, underwent the same punishment; which he willingly
submitted to.

The captain, having lost two brave fellows of his troop, was
afraid of diminishing it too much by pursuing this plan to get
information of the residence of their plunderer. He found by
their example that their heads were not so good as their hands on
such occasions; and therefore resolved to take upon himself the
important commission. Accordingly, he went and addressed
himself to Baba Mustapha, who did him the same service
he had done to the other robbers. He did not set any particu-
lar mark on the house, but examined and observed it so care-

[ 247 ]

THE ARABIAN NIGHTS

fully, by passing often by it, that it was impossible for him to
mistake it.

The captain, well satisfied with his attempt, and informed of
what he wanted to know, returned to the forest; and when he
came into the cave, where the troop waited for him, said: "Now,
comrades, nothing can prevent our full revenge, as I am certain
of the house, and in my way hither I have thought how to put
it into execution, but if any one can form a better expedient, let
him communicate it." He then told them his contrivance ; and
as they approved of it, ordered them to go into the villages
about, and buy nineteen mules, with thirty-eight large leather
jars, one full of oil, and the others empty. In two or three
days' time the robbers had purchased the mules and jars, and
as the mouths of the jars were rather too narrow for his
purpose, the captain caused them to be widened; and after
having put one of his men into each, with the weapons
which he thought fit, leaving open the seam which had been
undone to leave them room to breathe, he rubbed the jars on the
outside with oil from the full vessel. Things being thus prepared,
when the nineteen mules were loaded with thirty-seven robbers
in jars, and the jar of oil, the captain, as their driver, set out with
them, and reached the town by the dusk of the evening, as he
had intended. He led them through the streets till he came to
Ali Baba's, at whose door he designed to have knocked; but
vv^as prevented by his sitting there after supper to take a little
fresh air. He stopped his mules, addressed himself to him, and
said: "I have brought some oil a great way, to sell at to-morrow's
market ; and it is now so late that I do not know where to lodge.
If I should not be troublesome to you, do me the favour to let me
pass the night with you, and I shall be very much obliged by
your hospitality."

[ 248 ]

ALI BABA AND THE FORTY THIEVES

Though Ali Baba had seen the captain of the robbers in the
forest, and had heard him speak, it was hardly possible to know
him in the disguise of an oil-merchant. He told him he should
be welcome, and immediately opened his gates for the mules to
go into the yard. At the same time he called to a slave, and
ordered him, when the mules were unloaded, to put them into
the stable, and give them fodder ; and then went to Morgiana, to
bid her get a good supper. He did more. When he saw the
captain had unloaded his mules, and that they were put into the
stables as he had ordered, and he was looking for a place to pass
the night in the air, he brought him into the hall where he received
his company, .telling him he would not suffer him to be in the
court. The captain excused himself on pretence of not being
troublesome ; but really to have room to execute his design, and it
was not till after the most pressing importunity that he yielded.
Ali Baba, not content to keep company, till supper was ready,
with the man who had a design on his life, continued talking with
him till it was ended, and repeating his offer of service. The
captain rose up at the same time with his host; and while Ali
Baba went to speak to Morgiana he withdrew into the yard,
under pretence of looking at his mules. Ali Baba, after charging
Morgiana afresh to take care of his guest, said to her: ''To-
morrow morning I design to go to the bath before day ; take care
my bathing linens be ready, give them to Abdoollah," which was
the slave's name, "and make me some good broth against I
return." After this he went to bed.

In the meantime, the captain went from the stable to give his
people orders what to do; and beginning at the first jar, and so
on to the last, said to each man: "As soon as I throw some
stones out of the chamber window where I lie, do not fail to cut
the jar open with the knife you have about you for the purpose,

[ 249 ]

THE ARABIAN NIGHTS

and come out, and I will immediately join you." After this he
returned into the house, when Morgiana, taking up a light, con-
ducted him to his chamber, where she left him; and he, to avoid
any suspicion, put the light out soon after, and laid himself
down in his clothes, that he might be the more ready to rise.

Morgiana, remembering Ali Baba's orders, got his bathing
linens ready, and ordered Abdoollah to set on the pot for the
broth; but while she was preparing it, the lamp went out, and
there was no more oil in the house, nor any candles. What to
do she did not know, for the broth must be made. Abdoollah
seeing her very uneasy, said: "Do not fret and tease yourself,
but go into the yard, and take some oil out of orte of the jars."
Morgiana thanked Abdoollah for his advice, took the oil-pot,
and w^ent into the yard ; when as she came nigh the first jar, the
robber within said softly: "Is it time.^" Though the robber
spoke low, Morgiana was struck with the voice the more, because
the captain, when he unloaded the mules, had taken the lids off
this and all the other jars to give air to his men, who were ill
enough at their ease, almost wanting room to breathe. iVs much
surprised as Morgiana naturally was at finding a man in a jar,
instead of the oil she wanted, many would have made such an
outcry as to have given an alarm; whereas Morgiana compre-
hending immediately the importance of keeping silence, and the
necessity of applying a speedy remedy without noise, conceived
at once the means, and collecting herself without shewing the
least emotion, answered: "Not yet, but presently." She went in
this manner to all the jars, giving the same answer, till she came
to the jar of oil.

By this means, Morgiana found that her master Ali Baba,
who thought that he had entertained an oil merchant, had ad-
mitted thirty-eight robbers into his house, regarding this pre-

[ 250 ]

ALI BABA AND THE FORTY THIEVES

tended merchant as their captain. She made what haste she
could to fill her oil-pot, and returned into her kitchen ; where, as
soon as she had lighted her lamp, she took a great kettle, went
again to the oil-jar, filled the kettle, set it on a large wood-fire,
and as soon as it boiled went and poured enough into every jar
to stifle and destroy the robber within.

When this action, worthy of the courage of Morgiana, was
executed without any noise, she returned into the kitchen with
the empty kettle ; and having put out the great fire she had made
to boil the oil, and leaving just enough to make the broth, put out
the lamp also, and remained silent; resolving not to go to rest
till she had observed what might follow through a window of the
kitchen, which opened into the yard.

She had not waited long before the captain of the robbers
got up, opened the window, and finding no light, and hearing
no noise, or any one stirring in the house, gave the appointed
signal, by throwing little stones, several of which hit the jars,
as he doubted not by the sound they gave. He then listened, but
not hearing or perceiving anything whereby he could judge that
his companions stirred, he began to grow very uneasy, threw
stones again a second and also a third time, and could not com-
prehend the reason that none of them should answer his signal.
Much alarmed, he went softly down into the yard, and going to
the first jar, whilst asking the robber, whom he thought alive,
if he was in readiness, smelt the hot boiled oil, which sent forth
a steam out of the jar. Hence he suspected that his plot to
murder Ali Baba and plunder his house was discovered. Exam-
ining all the jars one after another, he found that all the
members of his gang were dead ; and by the oil he missed out of
the last jar guessed the means and manner of their death. En-
raged to despair at having failed in his design, he forced the lock

[ 251 ]

THE ARABIAN NIGHTS

of a door that led from the yard to the garden, and climbmg over
the walls, made his escape.

When Morgiana heard no noise, and found, after waiting
some time, that the captain did not return, she concluded that
he had chosen rather to make his escape by the garden than the
street door, which was double-locked. Satisfied and pleased to
have succeeded so well, in saving her master and family, she went
to bed.

Ali Baba rose before day, and, followed by his slave, went to
the baths, entirely ignorant of the important event which had
happened at home; for Morgiana had not thought it safe to
wake him before, for fear of losing her opportunity; and after
her successful exploit she thought it needless to disturb him.

When he returned from the baths, the sun was risen; he
was very much surprised to see the oil jars and that the merchant
was not gone with the mules. He asked Morgiana, who opened
the door, and had let all things stand as they were, that he might
see them, the reason of it. "My good master," answered she,
"God preserve you and all your family; you will be better in-
formed of what you wish to know when you have seen what I
have to show you, if you will but give yourself the trouble to
follow me."

As soon as Morgiana had shut the door, Ali Baba followed
her; when she requested him to look into the first jar and see
if there was any oil. Ali Baba did so, and seeing a man, started
back in alarm, and cried out. "Do not be afraid," said Morgi-
ana; "the man you see there can neither do you nor anybody
else any harm. He is dead." "Ah, Morgiana!" said Ali Baba,
"what is it you show me ? Explain yourself." "I will," replied
Morgiana; "moderate your astonishment, and do not excite the
curiosity of your neighbours. Look into all the other jars."

[ 252 ]

ALI BABA AND THE FORTY THIEVES

Ali Baba examined all the other jars, and when he came to that
which had the oil in, found it prodigiously sunk, and stood for
some time motionless, sometimes looking at the jars, and some-
times at Morgiana, without saying a word, so great was his
surprise: at last, when he had recovered himself, he said: **And
what is become of the merchant?"

"Merchant!" answered she, "he is as much one as I am;
I will tell you who he is, and what is become of him: but you
had better hear the story in your own chamber ; for it is time for
your health that you had your broth after your bathing."

While Ali Baba retired to his chamber, Morgiana went into
the kitchen to fetch the broth, but before he would drink it, he
first entreated her to satisfy his impatience, and tell him what had
happened, with all the circumstances; and she obeyed him.

"This," she said, when she had completed her story, "is the
account you asked of me; and I am convinced it is the conse-
quence of what I observed some days ago, but did not think fit
to acquaint you with; for when I came in one morning early I
found our street door marked with white chalk, and the next
morning with red ; upon which, both times without knowing what
was the intention of those chalks, I marked two or three neigh-
bours' doors on each side in the same manner. If you reflect
on this, and what has since happened, you will find it to be a
plot of the robbers of the forest, of whose gang there are two
wanting, and now they are reduced to three: all this shows that
they had sworn your destruction, and it is proper you should be
upon your guard, while there is one of them alive: for my part,
I shall neglect nothing necessary to your preservation, as I am
in duty bound."

When Morgiana had left off speaking, Ali Baba was so sensible
of the great service she had done him, that he said to her: "I will

[ 253 ]

THE ARABIAN NIGHTS

not die without rewarding you as you deserve; I owe my life to
you, and for the first token of my acknowledgment, give you your
liberty from this moment, till I can complete your recompense as
I intend. I am persuaded with you, that the forty robbers
have laid snares for my destruction. God, by your means, has
delivered me from them as yet, and I hope will continue to pre-
serve me from their wicked designs, and deliver the world from
their persecution. All that we have to do is to bury the bodies
of these pests of mankind immediately, and with all the secrecy
imaginable, that nobody may suspect what is become of them.
But that labour Abdoollah and I will undertake."

Ali Baba's garden was very long, and shaded at the farther
end by a great number of large trees. Under these he and the
slave dug a trench, long and wide enough to hold all the robbers.
Afterward they lifted the bodies out of the jars, took away their
weapons, carried them to the end of the garden, laid them in the
trench, and levelled the ground again. When this was done,
Ali Baba hid the jars and weapons; and as he had no occasion
for the mules, he sent them at different times to be sold in the
market by his slave.

While Ali Baba took these measures to prevent the public
from knowing how he came by his riches in so short a time, the
captain of the forty robbers returned to the forest with inconceiv-
able mortification; and in his confusion at his ill success, so
contrary to what he had promised himself, entered the cave, not
being able, all the way from the town, to come to any resolution
how to revenge himself of Ali Baba.

The loneliness of the gloomy cavern became frightful to him.
*'AMiere are you, my brave lads," cried he, "old companions of
my watchings, inroads, and labour ? What can I do without you ?
Did I collect you only to lose you by so base a fate, and so un-

[ 254 ]

ALI BABA AND THE FORTY THIEVES

worthy of your courage ! Had you died with your sabres in your
hands, like brave men, my regret had been less! When shall I
enlist so gallant a troop again ? And if I could, can I undertake
it without exposing so much gold and treasure to him who hath
already enriched himself out of it ? I cannot, I ought not to
think of it, before I have taken away his life. I will undertake
that alone, which I could not accomplish with your powerful assis-
tance ; and when I have taken measures to secure this treasure from
being pillaged, I will provide for it new masters and successors
after me, who shall preserve and augment it to all posterity."
This resolution being taken, he was not at a loss how to execute
his purpose; but full of hopes, slept all that night very quietly.

When he awoke early next morning, he dressed himself,
agreeably to the project he had formed, went to the town, and took
a lodging in a khan. As he expected what had happened at All
Baba's might make a great noise, he asked his host what news
there was in the city ? Upon which the innkeeper told him a
great many circumstances, which did not concern him in the
least. He judged by this, that the reason why Ali Baba kept his
affairs so secret, was for fear people should know where the
treasure lay; and because he knew his life would be sought on
account of it. This urged him the more to neglect nothing to
rid himself of so cautious an enemy.

The captain now assumed the character of a merchant, and
conveyed gradually a great many sorts of rich stuffs and fine
linen to his lodging from the cavern, but with all the necessary
precautions imaginable to conceal the place whence he brought
them. In order to dispose of the merchandise, when he had
amassed them together, he took a warehouse, which happened
to be opposite to Cassim's, which Ali Baba's son had occupied
since the death of his uncle.

[ ^55 ]

THE ARABIAN NIGHTS

He took the name of Khaujeh Houssain, and as a new-
comer, was, according to custom, extremely civil and com-
plaisant to all the merchants his neighbours. Ali Baba's son
was from his vicinity one of the first to converse with Khaujeh
Houssain, who strove to cultivate his friendship more particu-
larly when, two or three days after he was settled, he recognised
Ali Baba, who came to see his son, and stopped to talk with
him as he was accustomed to do. When he was gone, the
impostor learnt from his son who he was. He increased his
assiduities, caressed him in the most engaging manner, made
him some small presents, and often asked him to dine and sup
with him.

Ali Baba's son did not choose to lie under such obligation
to Khaujeh Houssain, without making the like return; but was
so much straitened for want of room in his house, that he could
not entertain him so well as he wished ; he therefore acquainted
his father Ali Baba with his intention, and told him that it did
not look well for him to receive such favours from Khaujeh
Houssain without inviting him in return.

Ali Baba, with great pleasure, took the treat upon himself.
"Son," said he, "to-morrow being Friday, which is a day that
the shops of such great merchants as Khaujeh Houssain and
yourself are shut, get him to take a walk with you, and as you
come back, pass by my door and call in. It will look better to
have it happen accidentally, than if you gave him a formal invita-
tion. I will go and order Morgiana to provide a supper."

The next day Ali Baba's son and Khaujeh Houssain met by
appointment, took their walk, and as they returned, Ali Baba's
son led Khaujeh Houssain through the street where his father
lived; and when they came to the house, stopped and knocked
at the door. "This, sir," said he, "is my father's house; who,

[ 256 ]

ALI BABA AND THE FORTY THIEVES

from the account I have given him of your friendship, charged
me to procure him the honour of your acquaintance."

Though it was the sole aim of Khaujeh Houssain to introduce
himself into Ali Baba's house, that he might kill him without
hazarding his own life or making any noise ; yet he excused him-
self, and offered to take his leave. But a slave having opened the
door, Ali Baba's son took him obligingly by the hand, and in a
manner forced him in.

Ali Baba received Khaujeh Houssain with a smiling counte-
nance, and in the most obliging manner. He thanked him for
all the favours he had done his son ; adding withal, the obligation
w^as the greater, as he was a young man not much acquainted
with the world.

Khaujeh Houssain returned the compliment, by assuring
Ali Baba, that though his son might not have acquired the ex-
perience of older men, he had good sense equal to the knowledge
of many others. After a little more conversation on different
subjects, he offered again to take his leave; when Ali Baba,
stopping him, said : " Where are you going, sir, in so much haste .^
I beg you would do me the honour to sup with me, though what
I have to give you is not worth your acceptance ; but such as it is,
I hope you will accept it as heartily as I give it." *'Sir," replied
Khaujeh Houssain, "I am thoroughly persuaded of your good
will ; and if I ask the favour of you not to take it ill that I do not
accept your obliging invitation, I beg of you to believe that it does
not proceed from any slight or intention to affront, but from a
reason which you would approve if you knew it.

"And what may that reason be, sir," replied Ali Baba, "if
I may be so bold as to ask you?" "It is," answered Khaujeh
Houssain, "that I can eat no victuals that have any salt in them;
therefore judge how I should feel at your table." "If that is the

[ 257 ]

THE ARABIAN NIGHTS

only reason," said Ali Baba, " it ought not to deprive me of the-
honour of your company at supper ; for, in the first place, there
is no salt ever put into my bread, and as to the meat we shall
have to-night, I promise you there shall be none in that. There-
fore you must do me the favour to stay. I will return imme-
diately."

Ali Baba went into the kitchen, and ordered Morgiana to
put no salt to the meat that was to be dressed that night ; and to
make quickly two or three ragouts besides what he had ordered,
but be sure to put no salt in them.

Morgiana, who was always ready to obey her master, could
not help seeming somewhat dissatisfied at his strange order.
"Who is this difficult man," said she, "who eats no salt with his
meat.^ Your supper will be spoiled, if I keep it back so long."
"Do not be angry, Morgiana," replied Ali Baba; "he is an honest
man; therefore do as I bid you."

Morgiana obeyed, though with no little reluctance, and had a
curiosity to see this man w^ho ate no salt. To this end, when she
had finished what she had to do in the kitchen, she helped Abdool-
lah to carry up the dishes; and looking at Khaujeh Houssain,
knew him at first sight, notwithstanding his disguise, to be the
captain of the robbers, and examining him very carefully, per-
ceived that he had a dagger under his garment. "I am not in
the least amazed," said she to herself, "that this wicked wretch,
who is my master's greatest enemy, would eat no salt with him,
since he intends to assassinate him; but I will prevent him."

Morgiana, while they were eating, made the necessary prepara-
tions for executing one of the boldest acts ever meditated, and
had just determined, when Abdoollah came for the dessert of
fruit, which she carried up, and as soon as he had taken the meat
away, set upon the table; after that, she placed three glasses

[ 258 ]

ALI BABA AND THE FORTY THIEVES

by Ali Baba, and going out, took Abdoollah with her to sup,
and to give Ali Baba the more liberty of conversation v^ith his
guest.

Khaujeh Houssain, or rather the captain of the robbers,
thought he had now a favourable opportunity of being revenged
on Ali Baba. "I will," said he to himself, "make the father and
son both drunk: the son, whose life I intend to spare, will not
be able to prevent my stabbing his father to the heart ; and while
the slaves are at supper, or asleep in the kitchen, I can make my
escape over the gardens as before."

Instead of going to supper, Morgiana, who had penetrated
the intentions of the counterfeit Khaujeh Houssain, would not
give him time to put his villainous design into execution, but
dressed herself neatly with a suitable head-dress like a dancer,
girded her waist with a silver-gilt girdle, to which there hung a
poniard with a hilt and guard of the same metal, and put a hand-
some mask on her face. When she had thus disguised herself, she
said to Abdoollah: "Take your tabor, and let us go and divert
our master and his son's guest, as we do sometimes when he is
alone."

Abdoollah took his tabor and played all the way into the hall
before Morgiana, who when she came to the door made a low
obeisance, with a deliberate air, in order to draw attention, and
by way of asking leave to exhibit her skill. Abdoollah, seeing
that his master had a mind to say something, left off playing.
"Come in, Morgiana," said Ali Baba, "and let Khaujeh Hous-
sain see what you can do, that he may tell us what he thinks of
you. But, sir," said he, turning toward his guest, "do not think
that I put myself to any expense to give you this diversion, since
these are my slave and my cook and housekeeper; and I hope
you will not find the entertainment they give us disagreeable."

[ 259 ]

THE ARABIAN NIGHTS

Khaujeh Houssain, who did not expect this diversion after
supper, began to fear he should not be able to improve the
opportunity he thought he had found: but hoped, if he now
missed his aim, to secure it another time, by keeping up a friendly
correspondence with the father and son; therefore, though he
could have wished Ali Baba would have declined the dance,
he had the complaisance to express his satisfaction at what he
saw pleased his host.

As soon as Abdoollah saw that Ali Baba and Khaujeh Hous-
sain had done talking, he began to play on the tabor, and ac-
companied it with an air; to which Morgiana, who was an excel-
lent performer, danced in such a manner as would have created
admiration in any other company besides that before which she
now exhibited, among whom, perhaps, none but the false Khaujeh
Houssain was in the' least attentive to her, the rest having seen
her so frequently.

After she had danced several dances with equal propriety
and grace, she drew the poniard, and holding it in her hand,
began a dance, in which she outdid herself, by the many differ-
ent figures, light movements, and the surprising leaps and won-
derful exertions with which she accompanied it. Sometimes she
presented the poniard to one person's breast, sometimes to an-
other's, and oftentimes seemed to strike her own. At last, as if
she was out of breath, she snatched the tabor from Abdoollah
with her left hand, and holding the dagger in her right, pre-
sented the other side of the tabor, after the manner of those
who get a livelihood by dancing, and solicit the liberality of
the spectators.

Ali Baba put a piece of gold into the tabor, as did also his son :
and Khaujeh Houssain, seeing that she was coming to him, had
pulle 1 his purse out of his bosom to make her a present ; but

[ 260 ]

ALI BABA AND THE FORTY THIEVES

while he was putting his hand into it, Morgiana, with a courage
and resolution worthy of herself, plunged the poniard into his
heart. Ali Baba and his son, shocked at this action, cried out
aloud. "Unhappy wretch!" exclaimed Ali Baba, "what have
you done to ruin me and my family .?" "It was to preserve, not
to ruin you," answered Morgiana; "for see here," continued she
(opening the pretended Khaujeh Houssain's garment, and show-
ing the dagger), "what an enemy you had entertained! Look
well at him, and you will find him to be both the fictitious oil-
merchant, and the captain of the gang of forty robbers. Remem-
ber, too, that he would eat no salt with you ; and what would you
have more to persuade you of his wicked design ? Before I saw
him, I suspected him as soon as you told me you had such a
guest. I knew him, and you now find that my suspicion was not
groundless."

Ali Baba, who immediately felt the new obligation he had to
Morgiana for saving his life a second time, embraced her:
"Morgiana," said he, "I gave you your liberty, and then prom-
ised you that my gratitude should not stop there, but that I would
soon give you higher proofs of its sincerity, which I now do by
making you my daughter-in-law." Then addressing himself to
his son, he said: "I believe you, son, to be so dutiful a child, that
you will not refuse Morgiana for your wdfe. You see that Khau-
jeh Houssain sought your friendship with a treacherous design
to take away my life; and, if he had succeeded, there is no doubt
but he would have sacrificed you also to his revenge. Consider,
that by marrying Morgiana you marry the preserver of my
family and your own."

The son, far from showing any dislike, readily consented to
the marriage ; not only because he would not disobey his father,
but also because it was agreeable to his inclination.

[ 261 ]

THE ARABIAN NIGHTS

After this, they thought of burying the captain of the robbers
with his comrades, and did it so privately that nobody discovered
their bones till many years after, when no one had any concern
in the publication of this remarkable histoiy.

A few days afterward, Ali Baba celebrated the nuptials of
his son and Morgiana with great solemnity, a sumptuous feast,
and the usual dancing and spectacles; and had the satisfaction to
see that his friends and neighbours, whom he invited, had no
knowledge of the true motives of the marriage; but that those
who were not unacquainted with Morgiana' s good qualities
commended his generosity and goodness of heart,

Ali Baba forbore, after this marriage, from going again to the
robbers' cave, as he had done, for fear of being surprised, from
the time he had brought away his brother Cassim's mangled
remains. He had kept away after the death of the thirty-seven
robbers and their captain, supposing the other two, whom he
could get no account of, might be alive.

At the year's end, when he found that they had not made any
attempt to disturb him, he had the curiosity to make another
journey, taking the necessary precautions for his safety. He
mounted his horse, and when he came to the cave, and saw no
footsteps of men or beasts, looked upon it as a good sign. He
alighted, tied his horse to a tree, then approaching the entrance
and pronouncing the words. Open, Sesame! the door opened.
He entered the cavern, and by the condition he found things in,
judged that nobody had been there since the false Khaujeh
Houssain, when he had fetched the goods for his shop; that the
gang of forty robbers was completely destroyed, and no longer
doubted that he was the only person in the world who had
the secret of opening the cave, so that all the treasure was
at his sole disposal. Having brought with him a wallet, he

[ 262 ]

ALI BABA AND THE FORTY THIEVES

put into it as much gold as his horse would carry, and returned
to town.

Afterward AH Baba carried his son to the cave, and taught
him the secret, which they handed down to their posterity, who,
using their good fortune with moderation^ lived in great honour
and splendour.

[ 26S ]

THE HISTORY OF CODADAD AND HIS

BROTHERS

THERE formerly reigned in the city of Harran a most
magnificent and potent sultan, who loved his subjects,
and was equally beloved by them. He was endued
with all virtues, and wanted nothing to complete his happiness
but an heir. He continually prayed to Heaven for a child ; and
one night in his sleep, a prophet appeared to him and said : " Your
prayers are heard; you have obtained w^hat you have desired;
rise as soon as you awake, go to your prayers, and make two
genuflexions ; then walk into the garden of your palace, call your
gardener, and bid him bring you a pomegranate ; eat as many of
the seeds as you please, and your wishes shall be accomplished."
The sultan calling to mind his dream when he awoke, returned
thanks to Heaven, got up, prayed, made two genuflexions, and
then w^ent into his garden, where he took fifty pomegranate seeds,
w^iich he counted, and ate. Some time afterward forty-nine
of his wives presented him with sons, each one as vigorous as a
young palm-tree, but Pirouze, the fiftieth wife, remained child-
less. The sultan, therefore, took an aversion to this lady and
would have had her put to death had not his vizier prevented
him, advising rather that she be sent to Samaria, to her brother.
Sultan Samer, with orders that she be well treated.

Not long after Pirouze had been retired to her brother's
country, a most beautiful prince was born to her. The prince of
Samaria wrote immediately to the sultan of Harran, to acquaint
him with the birth of a son, and to congratulate him on the oc-
casion. The sultan was much rejoiced at this intelligence, and

[ 264 ]

CODADAD AND HIS BROTHERS

answered Prince Samer as follows: "Cousin, all my other wives
have each presented me with a prince. I desire you to educate
the child of Pirouze, to give him the name of Codadad, and to
send him to me when I may apply for him."

The prince of Samaria spared nothing that might improve
the education of his nephew. He taught him to ride, draw the
bow, and all other accomplishments becoming the son of a
sovereign; so that Codadad, at eighteen years of age, was looked
upon as a prodigy. The young prince, being inspired with a
courage worthy his birth, said one day to his mother: "Madam,
I begin to grow weary of Samaria; I feel a passion for glory;
give me leave to seek it amidst the perils of war. My father the
sultan of Harran has many enemies. Why does he not call me
to his assistance ? Must I spend my life in sloth, when all my
brothers have the happiness to be fighting by his side.^" "My
son," answered Pirouze, "I am no less impatient to have your
name become famous; I could wish you had already signalised
yourself against your father's enemies; but we must wait till
he requires it." "No, madam," replied Codadad, "I have
already waited too long. I burn to see the sultan, and am
tempted to offer him my service, as a young stranger: no doubt
but he will accept of it, and I will not discover myself till I have
performed some glorious actions." Pirouze approved of his
generous resolutions, and Codadad departed from Samaria, as
if he had been going to the chase, without acquainting Prince
Samer, lest he should thwart his design.

He was mounted on a white charger, who had a bit and shoes
of gold, his housing was of blue satin embroidered with pearls;
the hilt of his cimeter was of one single diamond, and the scabbard
of sandalwood, adorned with emeralds and rubies, and on his
shoulder he carried his bow and quiver. In this equipage, which

[ 2Q5 ]

THE ARABIAN NIGHTS

greatly set off his handsome person, he arrived at the city of
Harran, and soon found means to offer his service to the sultan ;
who being charmed with his beauty, and perhaps indeed by
natural sympathy, gave him a favourable reception, and asked
his name and quality. *'Sir," answered Codadad, "I am son to
an emir of Grand Cairo; an inclination to travel has made me
quit my country, and understanding that you were engaged in
war, I am come to your court to offer your majesty my service."
The sultan, upon hearing this, shewed him extraordinary kind-
ness, and gave him a command in his army.

The young prince soon gained the esteem of the officers, and
was admired by the soldiers. Having no less wit than courage,
he so far advanced himself in the sultan's esteem, as to become
his favourite. All the ministers and other courtiers daily resorted
to Codadad, and were so eager to purchase his friendship, that
they neglected the sultan's sons. The princes could not but
resent this conduct, and all conceived an implacable hatred
against him; but the sultan's affection daily increasing, he was
never weary of giving him fresh testimonies of his regard. He
always would have him near his person; and to shew his high
opinion of his wisdom and prudence, committed to his care the
other princes, though he was of the same age as they; so that
Codadad was made governor of his brothers.

This only served to heighten their hatred. 'Ts it come to
this," said they, "that the sultan, not satisfied with loving a
stranger more than us, will have him to be our governor, and not
allow us to act without his leave.? This is not to be endured.
We must rid ourselves of this foreigner." "Let us go together,"
said one of them, "and despatch him." "No, no," answered
another; "we had better be cautious how we sacrifice ourselves.
His death would render us odious to the sultan. Let us destroy

[ 266 ]

CODADAD AND HIS BROTHERS

him by some stratagem. We will ask his permission to hunt, and,
when at a distance from the palace, proceed to some other city
and stay there some time. The sultan will wonder at our absence,
and perceiving we do not return, perhaps put the stranger to
death, or at least will banish him from court, for suffering us to
leave the palace."

All the princes applauded this artifice. They went together
to Codadad, and desired him to allow them to take the diversion
of hunting, promising to return the same day. Pirouze's son
was taken in the snare, and granted the permission his brothers
desired. They set out, but never returned. They had been
three days absent, when the sultan asked Codadad where the
princes were, for it was long since he had seen them. "Sir,"
answered Codadad, after making a profound reverence, "they
have been hunting these three days, but they promised me they
would return sooner." The sultan grew uneasy, and his uneasi-
ness increased when he perceived the princes did not return the
next day. He could not check his anger : " Indiscreet stranger,"
said he to Codadad, "why did you let my sons go without bearing
them company ? Go, seek them immediately, and bring them
to me, or your life shall be forfeited."

These w^ords chilled with alarm Pirouze's unfortunate son.
He armed himself, departed from the city, and like a shepherd
who had lost his flock, searched the country for his brothers,
inquiring at every village whether they had been seen ; but hear-
ing no news of them, abandoned himself to the most lively grief.
He was inconsolable for having given the princes permission
to hunt, or for not having borne them company.

After some days spent in fruitless search, he came to a plain of
prodigious extent, in the midst whereof was a palace built of
black marble. He drew near, and at one of the windows beheld

[ 267 ]

THE ARABIAN NIGHTS

a most beautiful lady; but set off with no other ornament than
her own charms; for her hair was dishevelled, her garments torn,
and on her countenance appeared all the marks of affliction.
As soon as she saw Codadad, and judged he might hear her, she
directed her discourse to him, saying: "Young man, depart from
this fatal place, or you will soon fall into the hands of the monster
that inhabits it: a black, who feeds only on human blood, resides
in this palace; he seizes all persons whom their ill fate conducts
to this plain, and shuts them up in his dungeons, whence they are
never released, but to be devoured by him."

"Madam," answered Codadad, "tell me who you are, and
be not concerned for myself." " I am a lady of quality of Grand
Cairo," replied the captive; "I was passing by this castle yester-
day, on my way to Bagdad, and met with the black, who killed
all my attendants, and brought me hither. I beg of you," she
cried, "to make your escape: the black will soon return; he is
gone out to pursue some travellers he espied at a distance on the
plain. Lose no time, but fly."

She had scarcely done speaking before the black appeared.
He was of monstrous bulk, and of a dreadful aspect, mounted on
a large Tartar horse, and bore a heavy cimeter, that none but
himself could wield. The prince seeing him, was amazed at his
gigantic stature, directed his prayers to Heaven to assist him, then
drew his own cimeter, and firmly awaited his approach. The
monster, despising so inconsiderable an enemy, called to him to
submit without fighting. Codadad by his conduct shewed that
he was resolved to defend his life ; for rushing upon the black, he
wounded him on the knee. The monster, feeling himself
wounded, uttered such a dreadful yell as made all the plain
resound. He grew furious and foamed with rage, and raising
himself on his stirrups, made at Codadad with his dreadful

[ 268 ]

CODADAD AND HIS BROTHERS

cimeter. The blow was so violent, that it would have put an
end to the young prince, had not he avoided it by a sudden
spring. The cimeter made a horrible hissing in the air: but,
before the black could have time to make a second blow,Codadad
struck him on his right arm with such force that he cut it off.
The dreadful cimeter fell with the hand that held it, and the black,
yielding under the violence of the stroke, lost his stirrups, and
made the earth shake with the weight of his fall. The prince
alighted at the same time, and cut off his enemy's head. Just
then the lady, who had been a spectator of the combat, and was
still offering up her earnest prayers to Heaven for the young hero,
uttered a shriek of joy, and said to Codadad: "Prince and
Deliverer, finish the work you have begun; the black has the
keys of this castle, take them and deliver me out of prison."

The prince searched the wretch as he lay stretched on the
ground, and found several keys. He opened the first door, and
entered a court, where he saw the lady coming to meet him ; she
would have cast herself at his feet, the better to express her
gratitude, but he would not permit her. She commended his
valour, and extolled him above all the heroes in the world. He
returned her compliments; and she appeared still more lovely
to him near, than she had done at a distance. I know not
whether she felt more joy at being delivered from the desperate
danger she had been in, than he for having done so considerable a
service to so beautiful a person.

Their conversation was interrupted by dismal cries and
groans. "What do I hear.^" said Codadad; "whence come
these miserable lamentations, which pierce my ears.^" "My
lord," said the lady, pointing to a little door in the court, "they
come from thence. There are I know not how many wretched
persons whom fate has thrown into the hands of the black.

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THE ARABIAN NIGHTS

They are all chained, and the monster drew out one every day to
devour."

*'It is an addition to my joy," answered the young prince, *'to
understand that my victory will save the lives of those unfortunate
beino-s. Come with me, madam, to partake in the satisfaction
of giving them their liberty." Having so said, they advanced
toward the door of the dungeon, where Codadad, pitying them,
and impatient to put an end to their sufferings, presently put one
of the keys into the lock. The noise made all the unfortunate
captives, who concluded it was the black coming, according to
custom, to seize one of them to devour, redouble their cries and
groans.

In the meantime, the prince had opened the door ; he went
down a steep staircase into a deep vault, which received some
feeble light from a little window, and in which there were above
a hundred persons, bound to stakes. "Unfortunate travellers,"
said he to them, "who only expected the moment of an approach- .
ing death, give thanks to Heaven which has this day delivered
you by my means. I have slain the black by whom you w^ere to
be devoured, and am come to knock off your chains." The
prisoners hearing these words, gave a shout of mingled joy and
surprise. Codadad and the lady began to unbind them; and
as soon as any of them were loose, they helped to take off the
fetters from the rest; so that in a short time they were all at
liberty.

They then kneeled down, and having returned thanks to
Codadad for what he had done for them, vy^ent out of the dungeon ;
but when they were come into the court, how was the prince
surprised to see among the prisoners those he was in search of,
and almost without hopes to find! "Princes," cried he, "is it
you whom I behold ? May I flatter myself that it is in my

[ 270 ]

CODADAD AND HIS BROTHERS

power to restore you to the sultan your father, who is inconsolable
for the loss of you ? Are you all here alive ? Alas ! the death of
one of you will suflSce to damp the joy I feel for having delivered

you."

The forty-nine princes all made themselves known to Coda-
dad, who embraced them one after another, and told them how
uneasy their father was on account of their absence. They gave
their deliverer all the commendations he deserved, as did the
other prisoners, who could not find words expressive enough to
declare their gratitude. Codadad, with them, searched the
whole castle, where was immense wealth: curious silks, gold
brocades, Persian carpets, China satins, and an infinite quantity
of other goods, which the black had taken from the caravans
he had plundered, a considerable part whereof belonged to the
prisoners Codadad had then liberated. Every- man knew and
claimed his property. The prince restored them their own, and
divided the rest of the merchandise among them. Then he said
to them: "How will you carry away your goods ? We are here in
a desert place, and there is no likelihood of your getting horses."
*'My lord," answered one of the prisoners, "the black robbed us of
our camels, as well as of our goods, and perhaps they may be in
the stables of this castle." "That is not unlikely," replied
Codadad; "let us examine." Accordingly they went to the
stables, where they not only found the camels, but also the
horses belonging to the sultan of Harran's sons. AW the mer-
chants, overjoyed that they had recovered their goods and camels,
together with their liberty, thought of nothing but prosecuting
their journey; but first repeated their thanks to their deliverer.

When they were gone, Codadad, directing his discourse to
the lady, said: "What place, madam, do you desire to go to .^
I intend to bear "«^ou company to the spot you shall choose for

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THE ARABIAN NIGHTS

your retreat, and I question not but that all these princes will do
the same." The sultan of Harran's sons protested to the lady,
that they would not leave her till she was restored to her friends.

"Princes," said she, "I am of a country too remote from
here; and, besides that, it would be abusing your generosity
to oblige you to travel so far. I must confess that I have left
my native country for ever. I told you that I was a lady of
Grand Cairo; but since you have shewn me so much favour,
I should be much in the wrong in concealing the truth from you :
I am a sultan's daughter. A usurper has possessed himself
of my father's throne, after having murdered him, and I have
been forced to fly to save my life."

Codadad and his brothers requested the princess to tell them
her story, and after thanking them for their repeated protestations
of readiness to serve her, she could not refuse to satisfy their
curiosity, and began the recital of her adventures in the following
manner.

"There was in a certain island," said the princess, "a great
city called Deryabar, governed by a magnificent and virtuous
sultan, who had no children, which was the only blessing wanting
to make him happy. He continually addressed his prayers to
Heaven, but Heaven only partially granted his requests, for the
queen his wife, after a long expectation, brought forth a daughter.

" I am that unfortunate princess ; my father was rather grieved
than pleased at my birth; but he submitted to the will of God,
and caused me to be educated with all possible care, being re-
solved, since he had no son, to teach me the art of ruling, that
I might supply his place after his death.

"There w^as, at the court of Deryabar, an orphan youth of
good birth whom the sultan, my father, had befriended and
educated according to his rank. He was very handsome, and,

[ 272 ]

CODADAD AND HIS BROTHERS

not wanting ability, found means to please my father, who con-
ceived a great friendship for him. All the courtiers perceived
it, and guessed that the young man might in the end be my
husband. In this idea, and looking on him already as heir to
the crown, they made their court to him, and every one endeav-
oured to gain his favour. He soon saw into their designs, and
forgetting the distance there was between our conditions, flattered
himself with the hopes that my father was fond enough of him to
prefer him before all the princes in the world. He went farther;
for the sultan not offering me to him as soon as he could have
wished, he had the boldness to ask me of him. Whatever pun-
ishment his insolence deserved, my father was satisfied with
telling him he had other thoughts in relation to me. The youth
was incensed at this refusal; he resented the contempt, as if he
had asked some maid of ordinary extraction, or as if his birth
had been equal to mine. Nor did he stop here, but resolved, to
be revenged on the sultan, and w^ith unparalleled ingratitude
conspired against him. In short, he murdered him, and caused
himself to be proclaimed sovereign of Deryabar. The grand
vizier, however, while the usurper was butchering my father came
to carry me away from the palace, and secured me in a friend's
house, till a vessel he had provided was ready to sail. I then left
the island, attended only by a governess and that generous
minister, who chose rather to follow his master's daughter than
to submit to a tyrant.

"The grand vizier designed to carry me to the courts of the
neighbouring sultans, to implore their assistance, and excite them
to revenge my father's death; but Heaven did not concur in a
resolution we thought so just. When we had been but a few
days at sea, there arose such a furious storm, that our vessel,
carried away by the violence of the winds and waves, was dashed

[ 273 ]

THE ARABIAN NIGHTS

in pieces against a rock. My governess, the grand vizier, and all
that attended me, were swallowed up by the sea. I lost my
senses; and whether I was thrown upon the coast, or whether
Heaven wrought a miracle for my deliverance, I found myself
on shore when my senses returned.

"In my despair and horror I was on the point of casting
myseif into the sea again ; when I heard behind me a great noise
of men and horses. I looked about to see what it might be, and
espied several armed horsemen, among whom was one mounted
on an Arabian charger. He had on a garment embroidered
with silver, a girdle set with precious stones, and a crown of gold
on his head. Though his habit had not convinced me that he
was chief of the company, I should have judged it by the air of
grandeur which appeared in his person. He was a young man
extraordinarily well shaped, and perfectly beautiful. Surprised
to* see a young lady alone in that place, he sent some of his
oflScers to ask who I was. I answered only by weeping. The
shore being covered with the wreck of our ship, they concluded
that I was certainly some person who had escaped from the
vessel. This conjecture excited the curiosity of the officers, w^ho
began to ask me a thousand questions, with assurances that their
master was a generous prince, and that I should receive protec-
tion at his court.

" The sultan, impatient to know who I was, grew weary of
w^aiting the return of his officers, and drew near to me. He
gazed on me very earnestly, and observing that I did not cease
weeping, without being able to return an answer to their questions,
he forbade them troubling me any more; and directing his dis-
course to me: 'Madam,' said he, 'I conjure you to moderate
your excessive affliction. I dare assure you that, if your mis-
fortunes are capable of receiving any relief, you shall find it in

[ 274 ]

CODADAD AND HIS BROTHERS

my dominions. You shall live with the queen my mother, who
will endeavour by her kindness to ease your affliction. I know
not yet who you are, but I find I already take an interest in your
welfare.'

"I thanked the young sultan for his goodness to me, accepted
his obliging offer; and to convince him that I was not unworthy
of them, told him my condition. When I had done speaking,
the prince assured me that he was deeply concerned at my mis-
fortunes. He then conducted me to his palace, and presented
me to the queen his mother, to whom I was obliged again to
repeat my misfortunes. The queen seemed very sensible of my
trouble, and conceived extreme affection for me. On the other
hand, the sultan her son fell desperately in love with me, and
soon offered me his hand and his crown. I was so taken up with
the thoughts of my calamities, that the prince, though so lovely a
person, did not make so great an impression on me as he might
have done at another time. However, gratitude prevailing,
I did not refuse to make him happy, and our nuptials were con-
cluded with all imaginable splendour.

"While the people were taken up with the celebration of
their sovereign's nuptials, a neighbouring prince, his enemy,
made a descent by night on the island with a great number of
troops and surprised and cut to pieces my husband's subjects.
We escaped very narrowly, for he had already entered the palace
with some of his followers; but we found means to slip away
and to get to the sea-coast, where we threw ourselves into a
fishing-boat which we had the good fortune to meet with. Two
days we were driven about by the winds, without knowing what
would become of us. The third day we espied a vessel making
toward us under sail. We rejoiced at first, believing it had
been a merchant-ship which might take us aboard ; but what was

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THE ARABIAN NIGHTS

our consternation, when, as it drew near, we saw ten or twelve
armed pirates appear on the deck. Having boarded, five or six
of them leaped into our boat, seized us, bound the prince, and
conveyed us into their ship, where they immediately took off
my veil. My youth and features touched them, and they all
declared how much they were charmed at the sight of me..
Instead of casting lots, each of them claimed the preference, and
me as his right. The dispute grew warm, they came to blows,
and fouo-ht like madmen. The deck was soon covered with
dead bodies, and they were all killed but one, who, being left sole
possessor of me, said: 'You are mine. I will carry you to Grand
Cairo, to deliver you to a friend of mine, to whom I have prom-
ised a beautiful slave. But who,' added he, looking upon the
sultan, my husband, 'is that man .^ What relation does he
bear to you .? Are you allied by blood or love .?' 'Sir,' answered
I, 'he is my husband.' 'If so,' replied the pirate, 'in pity I must
rid myself of him: it would be too great an affliction to him to
see you disposed of to another.' Having spoken these words, he
took up the unhappy prince, who was bound, and threw him into
the sea, notwithstanding all my endeavours to prevent him.

"I shrieked in a dreadful manner at the sight of what he had
done, and had certainly cast myself into the sea also, but that the
pirate held me. He saw my design, and therefore bound me
with cords to the main-mast, then hoisting sail, made toward
the land, and got ashore. He unbound me and led me to a
little town, where he bought camels, tents, and slaves, and then
set out for Grand Cairo, designing, as he still said, to present me
to his friend, according to his promise.

"We had been several days upon the road, when, as we
were crossing this plain yesterday, we descried the black who
inhabited this castle. At a distance w^e took him for a tower,

[ 276 ]

As it dn-v) iiear tvc sair ten or twelve arvied pirates appear onr
the deck.

CODADAD AND HIS BROTHERS

and when near us, could scarcely believe him to be a man. He
drew his huge cimeter, and summoned the pirate to yield himself
prisoner, with all his slaves and the lady he was conducting.
You know the end of this dreadful adventure and can foresee
what would have been my fate had you, generous prince, not
come to my deliverance."

As soon as the princess had finished the recital of her adven-
tures, Codadad declared to her that he was deeply concerned at
her misfortunes. *'But, madam," added he, "it shall be your
own fault if you do not live at ease for the future. The sultan
of Harran's sons offer you a safe retreat in the court of their
father; be pleased to accept of it, and if you do not disdain the
affection of your deliverer, permit me to assure you of it, and to
espouse you before all these princes ; let them be witnesses to our
contract." The princess consented, and the marriage was con-
cluded that very day in the castle, where they found all sorts of
provisions, with an abundance of delicious wine and other liquors.

They all sat down at table; and after having eaten and
drunk plentifully, took with them the rest of the provisions, and
set out for the sultan of Harran's court. They travelled several
days, encamping in the pleasantest places they could find, and
were within one day's journey of Harran, when Codadad, direct-
ing his discourse to all his company, said: "Princes, I have too
long concealed from you who I am. Behold your brother Co-
dadad! I, as well as you, received my being from the sultan
of Harran, the prince of Samaria brought me up, and the Princess
Pirouze is my mother. Madam," added he, addressing himself
to the princess of Deryabar, "do you also forgive me for having
concealed my birth from you ? Perhaps, by discovering it
sooner, I might have prevented some disagreeable reflections,
which may have been occasioned by a match you may have

[ 277 ]

THE ARABIAN NIGHTS

thought unequal." *'No, sir," answered the princess *'the
opinion I at first conceived of you heightened every moment and
you did not stand in need of the extraction you now discover to
make me happy."

The princes congratulated Codadad on his birth, and ex-
pressed much satisfaction at being made acquainted with it.
But in reality, instead of rejoicing, their hatred of so amiable
a brother was increased. They met together at night, and for-
getting that had it not been for the brave son of Pirouze they must
have been devoured by the black, agreed among themselves to
murder him. '*We have no other course to choose," said one
of them, "for the moment our father shall come to understand
that this stranger, of whom he is already so fond, is our brother,
he will declare him his heir, and we shall all be obliged to obey
and fall down before him." He added much more, which made
such an impression on their unnatural minds, that they imme-
diately repaired to Codadad, then asleep, stabbed him repeatedly,
and leaving him for dead in the arms of the princess of Deryabar,
proceeded on their journey to the city of Harran, where they
arrived the next day.

The sultan their father conceived the greater joy at their
return, because he had despaired of ever seeing them again:
he asked what had been the occasion of their stay. But they
took care not to acquaint him with it, making no mention either
of the black or of Codadad; and only said, that being curious
to see different countries, they had spent some time in the neigh-
bouring cities.

In the meantime Codadad lay in his tent weltering in his blood
and little differing from a dead man, with the princess his wife,
who seemed to be in not much better condition than himself.
She rent the air with her dismal shrieks, tore her hair, and bathing

[ 278 ]

CODADAD AND HIS BROTHERS

her husband's body with her tears, "Alas! Codadad, my dear
Codadad," cried she, "is it you whom I behold just departing
this life ? Can I believe these are your brothers who have
treated you so unmercifully, those brothers whom thy valour
had saved ? O Heaven ! which has condemned me to lead a
life of calamities, if you will not permit me to have a consort, why
did you permit me to find one ? Behold, you have now robbed
me of two, just as I began to be attached to them."

By these and other moving expressions the afflicted princess
of Deryabar vented her sorrow, fixing her eyes on the unfortunate
Codadad, who could not hear her; but he was not dead, and his
consort, observing that he still breathed, ran to a large town she
espied in the plain, to inquire for a surgeon. She was directed
to one, who went immediately with her; but when they came to
the tent, they could not find Codadad, which made them conclude
he had been dragged away by some wild beast to be devoured.
The princess renewed her complaints and lamentations in a most
affecting manner. The surgeon was moved, and being unwilling
to leave her in so distressed a condition, proposed to her to return
to the town, offering her his house and service.

She suffered herself to be prevailed upon. The surgeon con-
ducted her to his house, and without knowing, as yet, who she
was, treated her with all imaginable courtesy and respect. He
used all his endeavours to comfort her, but it was vain to think
of removing her sorrow. "Madam," said he to her one day,
"be pleased to recount to me your misfortunes; tell me your
country and your condition. Perhaps I may give you some good
advice, when I am acquainted with all the circumstances of your
calamity."

The surgeon's words were so efficacious, that they wrought
on the princess, who recounted to him all her adventures; and

[ 279 ]

THE ARABIAN NIGHTS

when she had done, the surgeon directed his discourse to her:
"Madam," said he, "you ought not thus to give way to your
sorrow; you ought rather to arm yourself with resolution, and
perform what the duty of a wife requires of you. You are bound
to avenge your husband. If you please, I will wait on you as
your attendant. Let us go to the sultan of Harran's court;
he is a good and a just prince. You need only represent to him
in lively colours, how Prince Codadad has been treated by his
brothers. I am persuaded he will do you justice." "I submit
to your reasoning," answered the princess; "it is my duty to en-
deavour to avenge Codadad ; and since you are so generous as to
offer to attend me, I am ready to set out." No sooner had she
fixed this resolution, than the surgeon ordered two camels to be
made ready, on which the princess and he mounted, and repaired
to Harran.

They alighted at the first caravanserai they found, and
inquired of the host the news at court. "Deryabar," said he,
"is in very great perplexity. The sultan had a son, who lived
long with him as a stranger, and none can tell w^hat is become of
the young prince. One of the sultan's wives, named Pirouze,
is his mother; she has made all possible inquiry, but to no pur-
pose. The sultan has forty-nine other sons, all by different
mothers, but not one of them has virtue enough to comfort him
for the death of Codadad ; I say, his death, because it is impossi-
ble he should be still alive, since no intelligence has been heard
of him, notwithstanding so much search has been made."

The surgeon, having heard this account from the host, con-
cluded that the best course the princess of Deryabar could take
was to wait upon Pirouze; but that step required much precau-
tion: for it was to be feared that if the sultan of Harran's sons
should happen to hear of the arrival of their sister-in-law and

[ 280 ]

CODADAD AND HIS BROTHERS

her design, they might cause her to be conveyed away before she
could discover herself. The surgeon weighed all these circum-
stances, and therefore, that he might manage matters with dis-
cretion, desired the princess to remain in the caravanserai, whilst
he repaired to the palace, to observe which might be the safest
way to conduct her to Pirouze.

He went accordingly into the city, and was walking toward
the palace, when he beheld a lady mounted on a mule richly
accoutred. She was followed by several ladies mounted also on
mules, with a great number of guards and black slaves. All the
people formed a lane to see her pass along, and saluted her by
prostrating themselves on the ground. The surgeon paid her the
same respect, and then asked a calendar, who happened to stand
by him, whether that lady was one of the sultan's wives. "Yes,
brother," answered the calendar, "she is, and the most honoured
and beloved by the people, because she is the mother of Prince
Codadad, of whom you must have heard."

The surgeon asked no more questions, but followed Pirouze
to a mosque, into which she went to distribute alms, and assist
at the public prayers which the sultan had ordered to be offered
up for the safe return of Codadad. The surgeon broke through
the throng and advanced to Pirouze's guards. He waited the
conclusion of the prayers, and when the princess went out,
stepped up to one of her slaves, and whispered him in the ear:
"Brother, I have a secret of moment to impart to the Princess
Pirouze: may not I be introduced into her apartment.^" "If
that secret," answered the slave, "relates to Prince Codadad I
dare promise you shall have audience of her ; but if it concern not
him, it is needless for you to be introduced; for her thoughts
are all engrossed by her son." "It is only about that dear son,"
replied the surgeon, "that I wish to speak to her." "If so,"

[ 281 ]

THE ARABIAN NIGHTS

said the slave, "you need but follow us to the palace, and you
shall soon have the opportunity."

Accordingly, as soon as Pirouze was returned to her apart-
ment, the slave acquainted her that a person unknown had some
important information to communicate to her, and that it related
to Prince Codadad. No sooner had he uttered these words,
than Pirouze expressed her impatience to see the stranger. The
slave immediately conducted him into the princess's closet
who ordered all her women to withdraw, except two, from whom
she concealed nothing. As soon as she saw the surgeon, she
asked him eagerly what news he had to tell her of Codadad.
*'jMadam," answered the surgeon, after having prostrated him-
self on the ground, "I have a long account to give you, and such
as will surprise you." He then related all the particulars of
what had passed between Codadad and his brothers, which she
listened to with eager attention; but when he came to speak of
the murder, the tender mother fainted away on her sofa, as if
she had herself been stabbed like her son. Her two women
soon brought her to herself and the surgeon continued his rela-
tion; and when he had concluded, Pirouze said to him: "Go
back to the princess of Deryabar, and assure her from me that
the sultan shall soon own her for his daughter-in-law ; and as for
yourself, your services shall be rewarded as liberally as they
deserve."

When the surgeon was gone, Pirouze remained on the sofa
in such a state of affliction as may easily be imagined; and
yielding to her tenderness at the recollection of Codadad, "O
my son!" said she, "I must never then expect to see you more!
Unfortunate Codadad, why did you leave me.?" ^Miile she
uttered these words, she wept bitterly, and her two attendants,
moved by her grief, mingled their tears with hers.

[ 282. ]

CODADAD AND HIS BROTHERS

WTiilst they were all three in this manner vying in affliction,
the sultan came into the closet, and seeing them in this condition,
asked Pirouze whether she had received any bad news concerning
Codadad. "Alas! sir," said she, "all is over, my son has lost
his life, and to add to my sorrow, I cannot pay him the funeral
rites; for, in all probability, wild beasts have devoured him."
She then told him all she had heard from the surgeon, and did
not fail to enlarge on the inhuman manner in which Codadad
had been murdered by his brothers.

The sultan did not give Pirouze time to finish her relation,
but transported with anger, and giving way to his passion,
*' Madam," said he to the princess, "those perfidious wretches
who cause you to shed these tears, and are the occasion of mortal
grief to their father, shall soon feel the punishment due to their
guilt." The sultan, having spoken these words, Avith indignation
in his countenance, went directly to the presence-chamber,
where all his courtiers attended, and such of the people as had
petitions to present to him. They were alarmed to see him in
passion, and thought his anger had been kindled against them.
He ascended the throne, and causing his grand vizier to ap-
proach, "Hassan," said he, "go immediately, take a thousand
of my guards, and seize all the princes, my sons ; shut them up in
the tower used as a prison for murderers, and let this be done in
a moment." All who were present trembled at this extraordinary
command; and the grand vizier, without uttering a word, laid
his hand on his head, to express his obedience, and hastened from
the hall to execute his orders. In the meantime the sultan dis-
missed those who attended for audience, and declared he would
not hear of any business for a month to come. He was still in
the hall when the vizier returned. "Are all my sons," demanded
he, "in the tower.?" "They are, sir," answered the vizier; "I

[ 283 ]

THE ARABIAN NIGHTS

have obeyed your orders." "This is not all," replied the sultan,
"I have farther commands for you"; and so saying he went
out of the hall of audience, and returned to Pirouze's apartment,
the vizier following him. He asked the princess where Coda-
dad's widow had taken up her lodging. Pirouze's women told
him, for the surgeon had not forgotten that in his relation. The
sultan then turning to his minister, *'Go," said he, '*to this
caravanserai, and conduct a young princess who lodges there,
with all the respect due to her quality, to my palace."

The vizier was not long in performing what he was ordered.
He mounted on horseback with all the emirs and courtiers, and
repaired to the caravanserai, where the princess of Deryabar
was lodged, whom he acquainted with his orders; and presented
her, from the sultan, with a fine white mule, whose saddle and
bridle were adorned with gold, rubies, and diamonds. She
mounted, and proceeded to the palace. The surgeon attended
her, mounted on a beautiful Tartar horse which the vizier had
provided for him. All the people were at their windows, or in
the streets, to see the cavalcade; and it being given out that the
princess, whom they conducted in such state to court, was
Codadad's wife, the city resounded with acclamations, the air
rung with shouts of joy, which would have been turned into
lamentations had that prince's fatal adventure been known, so
much was he beloved by all.

The princess of Deryabar found the sultan at the palace
gate waiting to receive her: he took her by the hand and led
her to Pirouze's apartment, where a very moving scene took
place. Codadad's wife found her affliction redouble at the sight
of her husband's father and mother; as, on the other hand, those
parents could not look on their son's wife without being much
affected. She cast herself at the sultan's feet, and having bathed

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CODADAD AND HIS BROTHERS

them with tears, was so overcome with grief that she was not
able to speak. Pirouze was in no better state, and the sultan,
moved by these affecting objects, gave way to his own feelings
and wept. At length the princess of Deiyabar, being somewhat
recovered, recounted the adventure of the castle and Codadad's
disaster. Then she demanded justice for the treachery of the
princes. "Yes, madam," said the sultan, "those ungrateful
wretches shall perish; but Codadad's death must be first made
public, that the punishment of his brothers may not cause my
subjects to rebel; and though we have not my son's body, we
will not omit paying him the last duties." This said, he directed
his discourse to the vizier, and ordered him to cause to be erected
a dome of white marble, in a delightful plain, in the midst of
which the city of Harran stands. Then he appointed the princess
of Deryabar a suitable apartment in his palace, acknowledging
her for his daughter-in-law

Hassan caused the work to be carried on with such diligence,
and employed so many workmen, that the dome was soon
finished. Within it was erected a tomb, which was covered with
gold brocade. When all was completed, the sultan ordered
prayers to be said, and appointed a day for the obsequies of
his son.

On that day all the inhabitants of the city went out upon the
plain to see the ceremony performed. The gate of the dome was
then closed, and all the people returned to the city. Next day
there were public prayers in all the mosques, and the same was
continued for eight days successively. On the ninth the king
resolved to cause the princes his sons to be beheaded. The
people, incensed at their cruelty toward Codadad, impatiently
expected to see them executed. The scaffolds were erecting, but
the execution was respited, because, on a sudden, intelligence

[ 285 ]

THE ARABIAN NIGHTS

was brought that the neighbouring princes who had before made
war on the sultan of Harran, were advancing with more numerous
forces than on the first invasion, and were then not far from the
city. This news gave new cause to lament the loss of Codadad,
who had signalised himself in the former war against the same
enemies. The sultan, nothing dismayed, formed a considerable
army, and being too brave to await the enemies' attack within his
walls, marched out to meet them. They, on their side, being
informed that the sultan of Harran was marching to engage them,
halted in the plain, and formed their army.

As soon as the sultan discovered them, he also drew up his
forces, and ranged them in order of battle. The signal was
given, and he attacked them with extraordinary vigour; nor was
the opposition inferior. Much blood was shed on both sides,
and the victory long remained dubious; but at length it seemed
to incline to the sultan of Ilarran's enemies, who, being more
numerous, were upon the point of surrounding him, when a great
body of cavalry appeared on the plain, and approached the two
armies. The sight of this fresh party daunted both sides, neither
knowing what to think of them; but their doubts were soon
cleared; for they fell upon the flank of the sultan of Harran's
enemies with such a furious charge, that they soon broke and
routed them. Nor did they stop here; they pursued them, and
cut most of them in pieces.

The sultan of Harran, who had attentively observed all that
passed, admired the bravery of this strange body of cavalry,
whose unexpected arrival had given the victory to his army.
But, above all, he was charmed with their chief, whom he had
seen fighting with a more than ordinary valour. He longed to
know the name of the generous hero. Impatient to see and thank
him, he advanced toward him, but perceived he was coming to

[ 286 ]

CODADAD AND HIS BROTHERS

prevent him. The two princes drew near, and the sultan of
Harran, discovering Codadad in the brave v^^arrior who had just
defeated his enemies, became motionless with joy and surprise.
"Father," said Codadad to him, "you have sufficient cause to be
astonished at the sudden appearance of a man whom perhaps you
concluded to be dead. I should have been so, had not Heaven
preserved me still to serve you against your enemies." "O my
son," cried the sultan, "is it possible that you are restored to me ?
Alas! I despaired of seeing you more." So saying, he stretched
out his arms to the young prince, who flew to such a tender
embrace.

"I know all, my son," said'the sultan again, after having long
held him in his arms. " I know what return your brothers have
made you for delivering them out of the hands of the black; but
you shall be revenged to-morrow Let us now go to the palace
where your mother, who has shed so many tears on your account,
expects to rejoice with us on the defeat of our enemies. \Yhat
a joy will it be to her to be informed that my victory is your w^ork ! "
"Sir," said Codadad, "give me leave to ask how you could know
the adventure of the castle ? Have any of my brothers, repenting,
owned it to you.?" "No," answered the sultan; "the princess
of Deryabar has given us an account of everything, for she is in
my palace, and came thither to demand justice against your
brothers." Codadad was transported with joy, to learn that
the princess his wife was at the court. "Let us go, sir," cried
he to his father in rapture, "let us go to my mother, who waits
for us. I am impatient to dry her tears, as well as those of the
princess of Deryabar."

The sultan immediately returned to the city with his army,
and re-entered his palace victorious, amidst the acclamations of
the people, who followed him in crowds, praying to Heaven to

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THE ARABIAN NIGHTS

prolong his life, and extolling Codadad to the skies. They found
Pirouze and her daughter-in-law waiting to congratulate the
sultan; but words cannot express the transports of joy they felt
when they saw the young prince with him : their embraces were
mingled with tears of a very different kind from those they had
before shed for him. When they had sufficiently yielded to all
the emotions that the ties of blood and love inspired, they asked
Codadad by what miracle he came to be still alive.

He answered that a peasant mounted on a mule happening
accidentally to come into the tent where he lay senseless, and
perceiving him alone and stabbed in several places, had made
him fast on his mule, and carried him to his house, where he
applied to his wounds certain herbs, which recovered him.
"When I found myself well," added he, "I returned thanks to
the peasant, and gave him all the diamonds I had. I then made
for the city of Harran ; but being informed by the way that some
neighbouring princes had gathered forces, and were on their
march against the sultan's subjects, I made myself known to the
villagers, and stirred them up to undertake his defence. I armed
a great number of young men, and heading them, happened to
arrive at the time when the two armies were engaged."

When he had done speaking, the sultan said: **Let us return
thanks to God for having preserved Codadad ; but it is requisite
that the traitors who would have destroyed him should perish."
*'Sir," answered the generous prince, "though they are wicked
and ungrateful, consider they are your own flesh and blood : they
are my brothers; I forgive their offence, and beg you to pardon
them." This generosity drew tears from the sultan, who caused
the people to be assembled, and declared Codadad his heir.
He then ordered the princes, who were prisoners, to be brought
out loaded with irons. Pirouze's son struck off their chains, and

[ 288 ]

CODADAD AND HIS BROTHERS

embraced them all successively with as much sincerity and
affection as he had done in the black's castle. The people were
charmed with Codadad's generosity, and loaded him with
applause. The surgeon was next nobly rewarded in requital
of the services he had done the princess of Deryabar and the
court of Harran remained thereafter in perfect joy and felicity.

[ 289 ]

THE STORY OF SINBAD THE VOYAGER

IN the reign of the Caliph Haroun-al-Raschid, there lived
at Bagdad a poor porter called Hindbad. One day, when
the weather was excessively hot, he was employed to carry
a heavy burden from one end of the town to the other. Having
still a great way to go, he came into a street where a refreshing
breeze blew on his face, and the pavement was sprinkled with
rose water. As he could not desire a better place to rest, he took
off his load, and sat upon it, near a large mansion.

He was much pleased that he stopped in this place; for the
agreeable smell of wood of aloes, and of pastils, that came from
the house, mixing with the scent of the rose-water, completely
perfumed the air, Besides, he heard from within a concert of
instrumental music, accompanied with the harmonious notes of
nightingales. This charming melody, and the smell of savoury
dishes, made the porter conclude there was a feast within. His
business seldom leading him that way, he knew not to whom the
mansion belonged; but to satisfy his curiosity he went to some
of the servants, whom he saw standing at the gate in magnificent
apparel, and asked the name of the proprietor. "How," replied
one of them, "do you live in Bagdad, and know not that this is
the house of Sinbad the sailor, that famous voyager, who has
sailed round the world.?" The porter, who had heard of this
Sinbad's riches, lifted up his eyes to Heaven, and said, loud
enough to be heard: "Almighty creator of all things, consider the
difference between Sinbad and me! I am every day exposed to

[ 290 ]

SINBAD THE VOYAGER

fatigues and calamities^ and can scarcely get barley-bread for
myself and my family, whilst happy Sinbad expends immense
riches and leads a life of pleasure. What has he done to obtain
a lot so agreeable ? And what have I done to deserve one so
wretched ?"

Whilst the porter was thus indulging his melancholy, a
servant came out of the house, and taking him by the arm,
bade him follow him, for Sinbad, his master, wanted to speak
to him.

The servants brought him into a great hall, where a number
of people sat round a table, covered with all sorts of savoury
dishes. At the upper end sat a venerable gentleman, with a
long white beard, and behind him stood a number of officers and
domestics, all ready to attend his pleasure. This personage was
Sinbad. The porter, whose fear was increased at the sight of
so many people, and of a banquet so sumptuous, saluted the
company trembling. Sinbad bade him draw near, and seating
him at his right hand, served him himself, and gave him a cup of
excellent wine.

\Vhen the repast was over, Sinbad addressed his conversation
to Hindbad, and inquired his name and employment. *'My
lord," answered he, *'my name is Hindbad." *'I am very glad
to see you," replied Sinbad; "but I wish to hear from your own
mouth what it was you lately said in the street." Sinbad had
himself heard the porter complain through the window, and this
it was that induced him to have him brought in.

At this request, Hindbad hung down his head in confusion,
and replied: "My lord, I confess that my fatigue put me out of
humour, and occasioned me to utter some indiscreet words, which
I beg you to pardon." "Do not think I am so unjust," resumed
Sinbad, "as to resent such a complaint, but I must rectify your

[ 291 ]

THE ARABIAN NIGHTS

error concerning myself. You think, no doubt, that I have
acquired, without labour and trouble, the ease which I now
enjoy. But do not mistake ; I did not attain to this happy condi-
tion, without enduring for several years more trouble of body
and mind than can well be imagined. Yes, gentlemen," he
added, speaking to the whole company, "I can assure you my
troubles were so extraordinary, that they were calculated to dis-
courage the most covetous from undertaking such voyages as I
did, to acquire riches. Perhaps you have never heard a distinct
account of my wonderful adventures; and since I have this
opportunity, I will give you a faithful account of them, not doubt-
ing but it will be acceptable."

THE FIRST VOYAGE

**I inherited from my father considerable property, the greater
part of which I squandered in my youth in dissipation; but I
perceived my error, and reflected that riches were perishable, and
quickly consumed by such ill managers as myself. I further
considered, that by my irregular way of living I wretchedly mis-
spent my time ; which is, of all things, the most valuable. Struck
with these reflections, I collected the remains of my fortune, and
sold all my effects by public auction. I then entered into a con-
tract with some merchants, who traded by sea. I took the advice
of such as I thought most capable, and resolving to improve
what money I had, I embarked with several merchants on board
a ship which w^e had jointly fitted out.

**We set sail, and steered our course toward the Indies
through the Persian Gulf, which is formed by the coasts of
Arabia Felix on the right, and by those of Persia on the left-

[ 292 ]

SINBAD THE VOYAGER

At first I was troubled with sea-sickness, but speedily recovered
my health, and was not afterward subject to that complaint.

*'In our voyage we touched at several islands, where we sold
or exchanged our goods. One day, whilst under sail, we were
becalmed near a small island, but little elevated above the level
of the water, and resembling a green meadow. The captain
ordered his sails to be furled, and permitted such persons as were
so inclined to land; of which number I was one.

"But while we were enjoying ourselves in eating and drinking,
and recovering ourselves from the fatigue of the sea, the island
on a sudden trembled, and shook us terribly.

"The motion was perceived on board the ship, and we were
called upon to re-embark speedily, or we should all be lost; for
what we took for an island proved to be the back of a sea monster.
The nimblest got into the sloop, others betook themselves to
swimming; but for myself, I was still upon the back of the
creature when he dived into the sea, and I had time only to catch
hold of a piece of wood that we had brought out of the ship.
Meanwhile, the captain, having received those on board who were
in the sloop, and taken up some of those that swam, resolved to
improve the favourable gale that had just risen, and hoisting his
sails, pursued his voyage, so that it was impossible for me to
recover the ship.

"Thus was I exposed to the mercy of the waves all the rest of
the day and the following night. By this time I found my
strength gone, and despaired of saving my life, when happily a
wave threw me against an island. The bank was high and
rugged ; so that I could scarcely have got up, had it not been for
some roots of trees, which chance placed within reach. Having
gained the land, I lay down upon the ground half dead, until the
sun appeared. Then, though I was very feeble, both from hard

[ 293 ]

THE ARABIAN NIGHTS

labour and want of food, I crept along to find some herbs fit to
eat, and had the good luck not only to procure some, but likewise
to discover a spring of excellent water, which contributed much
to recover me. After this I advanced farther into the island, and
at last reached a fine plain, where at a great distance I perceived
some horses feeding. I went toward them, and as I approached
heard the voice of a man, who immediately appeared, and asked
me who I was. I related to him my adventure, after which,
taking me by the hand, he led me into a cave, where there were
several other people, no less amazed to see me than I was to see
them.

"I partook of some provisions which they offered me. I
then asked them what they did in such a desert place, to which
they answered, that they were grooms belonging to the Maha-
raja, sovereign of the island, and that every year, at the same
season they brought thither the king's horses for pasturage.
They added, that they were to return home on the morrow, and
had I been one day later, I must have perished, because the in-
habited part of the island was at .a great distance, and it would
have been impossible for me to have got thither without a guide.

"Next morning they returned to the capital of the island, took
me with them, and presented me to the Maha-raja. He asked
me who I was, and by what adventure I had come into his domin-
ions. After I had satisfied him, he told me he was much con-
cerned for my misfortune, and at the same time ordered that I
should want nothing; which commands his officers were so
generous as to see exactly fulfilled.

*' Being a merchant, I frequented men of my own profession,
and particularly inquired for those who were strangers, that per-
chance I might hear news from Bagdad, or find an opportunity
to return. They put a thousand questions respecting my

[ 294 ]

SINBAD THE VOYAGER

country; and I, being willing to inform myself as to their laws
and customs, asked them concerning everything which I thought
worth knowing.

"There belongs to this king an island named Cassel. They
assured me that every night a noise of drums was heard there,
whence the mariners fancied that it was the residence of Degial.
I determined to visit this wonderful place, and in my way thither
saw fishes of one hundred and two hundred cubits long, that
occasion more fear than hurt, for they are so timorous, that
they will fly upon the rattling of two sticks or boards. I saw
likewise other fish about a cubit in length, that had heads like
owls.

"As I was one day at the port after my return, a ship arrived,
and as soon as she cast anchor, they began to unload her, and the
merchants on board ordered their goods to be carried into the
custom-house. As I cast my eye upon some bales, and looked
to the name, I found my own, and perceived the bales to be the
same that I had embarked at Bussorah. I also knew the captain ;
but being persuaded that he believed me to be drowned, I went,
and asked him whose bales these were. He replied that they
belonged to a merchant of Bagdad, called Sinbad, who came to
sea with him ; but had unfortunately perished on the voyage, and
that he had resolved to trade with the bales, until he met with
some of his family, to whom he might return the profit. 'I am
that Sinbad,' said I, 'whom you thought to be dead, and those
bales are mine.'

"When the captain heard me speak thus, 'Heavens!' he
exclaimed, ' whom can we trust in these times ? There is no
faith left among men. I saw Sinbad perish with my own eyes,
as did also the passengers on board, and yet you tell me you are
that Sinbad. What impudence is this.^^ You tell a horrible

[ 295 ]

THE ARABIAN NIGHTS

falsehood, in order to possess yourself of what does not belong
to you/ 'Have patience,' replied I; *do me the favour to hear
what I have to say.' Then I told him how I had escaped, and
by what adventure I met with the grooms of the Maha-raja, who
had brought me to his court.

"The captain was at length persuaded that I was no cheat;
for there came people from his ship who knew me, and expressed
much joy at seeing me alive. At last he recollected me himself,
and embracing me, 'Heaven be praised,' said he, 'for your
happy escape. I cannot express the joy it affords me; there are
your goods, take and do with them as you please.' I thanked
him, acknowledged his probity, and offered him part of my goods
as a present, which he generously refused.

"I took out what was most valuable in my bales, and pre-
sented them to the Maha-raja, who, knowing my misfortune^
asked me how I came by such rarities. I acquainted him with
the circumstance of their recovery. He was pleased at my good
luck, accepted my present, and in return gave me one much more
considerable. Upon this, I took leave of him, and went aboard
the same ship, after I had exchanged my goods for the commodi-
ties of that country. I carried w^ith me wood of aloes, sandal,
camphire, nutmegs, cloves, pepper, and ginger. We passed by
several islands, and at last arrived at Bussorah, from whence I
came to this city, with the value of one hundred thousand sequins.
My family and I received one another with sincere affection.
I bought slaves and a landed estate, and built a magnificent house.
Thus I settled myself, resolving to forget the miseries I had
suffered, and to enjoy the pleasures of life."

Sinbad stopped here, and ordered the musicians to proceed
with their concert, which the story had interrupted. The
company continued enjoying themselves till the evening, when

[ 296 ]

SINBAD THE VOYAGER

Sinbad sent for a purse of a hundred sequins, and giving it to the
porter, said: '*Take this, Hindbad, return to your home, and
come back to-morrow to hear more of my adventures." The
porter went away, astonished at the honour done, and the present
made him. The account of this adventure proved very agreeable
to his wife and children, who did not fail to return thanks to God
or what providence had sent them by the hand of Sinbad.

Hindbad put on his best apparel next day, and returned to the
bountiful traveller, who welcomed him heartily. When all the
guests had arrived, dinner was served. When it was ended,
Sinbad, addressing himself to the company, said, "Gentlemen,
be pleased to listen to the adventures of my second voyage ; they
deserve your attention even more than those of the first." Upon
this every one held his peace, and Sinbad proceeded.

THE SECOND VOYAGE

"I designed, after my first voyage, to spend the rest of my
days at Bagdad, but it was not long ere I grew weary of an
indolent life. My inclination to trade revived. I bought goods
proper for the commerce I intended, and put to sea a second time
with merchants of known probity. W^e embarked on board a
good ship, and after recommending ourselves to God, set sail.
We traded from island to island, and exchanged commodities
with great profit. One day we landed on an island covered with
several sorts of fruit-trees, but we could see neither man nor
animal. We went to take a little fresh air in the meadows, along
the streams that watered them. Whilst some diverted themselves
w^ith gathering flowers, and others fruits, I took my wine and
provisions, and sat down near a stream betwixt two high trees

[ 297 ]

THE ARABIAN NIGHTS

which formed a thick shade. I made a good meal, and after-
ward fell asleep. I cannot tell how long I slept, but when I
awoke the ship was gone.

"I got up and looked around me, but could not see one of the
merchants who landed with me. I perceived the ship under
sail, but at such a distance, that I lost sight of her in a short
time.

*'In this sad condition, I was ready to die with grief. I cried
out in agony, and threw myself upon the ground, where I lay
some time in despair. I upbraided myself a hundred times for
not being content with the produce of my first voyage, that might
have sufficed me all my life. But all this was in vain, and my
repentance came too late.

"At last I resigned myself to the will of God. Not knowing
what to do, I climbed up to the top of a lofty tree, from whence
I looked about on all sides, to see if I could discover anything that
could give me hopes. When I gazed toward the sea I could see
nothing but sky and water; but looking over the land I beheld
something white; and coming down, I took what provision I had
left, and went toward it, the distance being so great that I could
not distinguish what it was.

"As I approached, I thought it to be a white dome, of a
prodigious height and extent; and when I came up to it, I
touched it, and found it to be very smooth. I went round to see
if it was open on any side, but saw that it was not, and that there
was no climbing up to the top, as it was so smooth. It was at
least fifty paces round.

*' By this time the sun was about to set, and all of a sudden the
sky became as dark as if it had been covered with a thick cloud.
I was much astonished at this sudden darkness, but much more
when I found it occasioned by a bird of a monstrous size, that

[ 298 ]

SINBAD THE VOYAGER

came flying toward me. I remembered that I had often heard
mariners speak of a miraculous bird called the roc, and con-
ceived that the great dome which I so much admired must be its
egg. As I perceived the roc coming, I crept close to the egg, so
that I had before me one of the bird's legs, which was as big as
the trunk of a tree. I tied myself strongly to it with my turban,
in hopes that next morning she would carry me with her out of
this desert island. After having passed the night in this condi-
tion, the bird flew away as soon as it was daylight, and carried
me so high, that I could not discern the earth; she afterward
descended with so much rapidity that I lost my senses. But
when I found myself on the ground, I speedily untied the knot,
and had scarcely done so, when the roc, having taken up a serpent
of a monstrous length in her bill, flew away.

*'The spot where she left me was encompassed on all sides by
mountains, that seemed to reach above the clouds, and so steep
that there was no possibility of getting out of the valley. This
was a new perplexity: so that when I compared this place with
the desert island from which the roc had brought me I found
that I had gained nothing by the change.

"As I walked through this valley, I perceived it was strewed
with diamonds, some of which were of a surprising bigness. I
took pleasure in looking upon them ; but shortly saw at a distance
such objects as greatly diminished my satisfaction, namely, a
great number of serpents, so monstrous, that the least of them was
capable of swallowing an elephant. They retired in the day-
time to their dens, where they hid themselves from the roc, their
enemy, and came out only in the night.

'*I spent the day in walking about in the valley, resting my-
self at times in such places as I thought most convenient. When
night came on, I went into a cave, where I thought I might repose

[ 299 ]

THE ARABIAN NIGHTS

in safety. I secured the entrance with a great stone to preserve
me from the serpents; but not so far as to exclude the light. I
supped on part of my provisions, but the serpents, which began
hissing round me, put me into such extreme fear, that I could
not sleep. When day appeared, the serpents retired, and I came
out of the cave trembling. I can justly say, that I walked upon
diamonds, without feeling any inclination to touch them. At
last I sat down, and notwithstanding my apprehensions, not hav-
ing closed my eyes during the night, fell asleep, after having
eaten a little more of my provision. But I had scarcely shut my
eyes, when something that fell by me with a great noise awaked
me. This was a large piece of raw meat; and at the same time
I saw several others fall down from the rocks in different places.

"I had always regarded as fabulous what I had heard sailors
and others relate of the valley of diamonds, and of the stratagems
employed by merchants to obtain jewels from thence; but now I
found that they had stated nothing but truth. For the fact is,
that the merchants come to the neighbourhood of this valley
when the eagles have young ones; and, throwing great joints of
meat into the valley, the diamonds upon whose points they fall
stick to them ; the eagles, which are stronger in this country than
anywhere else, pounce with great force upon those pieces of
meat, and carry them to their nests on the rocks to feed their
young: the merchants at this time run to the nests, drive off the
eagles by their shouts, and take away the diamonds that stick to
the meat.

"Until I perceived the device I had concluded it to be im-
possible for me to leave this abyss, which I regarded as my grave ;
but now I changed my opinion, and began to think upon the
means of my deliverance. I began to collect the largest diamonds
I could find, and put them into the leather bag in which I used

[ 300 ]

The spot where she left me loas encompassed on all sides by
mountains that seemed to reach above the clouds, and so
steep thai there was no possibility of getting out of the
valley.

SINBAD THE VOYAGER

to carry my provisions. I afterward took the largest of the
pieces of meat, tied it close round me with the cloth of my
turban, and then laid myself upon the ground with my face
downward, the bag of diamonds being made fast to my girdle.

*'I had scarcely placed myself in this posture w^hen the eagles
came. Each of them seized a piece of meat, and one of the
strongest having taken me up, with the piece of meat to which
I was fastened, carried me to his nest on the top of the mountain.
The merchants immediately began their shouting to frighten the
eagles; and when they had obliged them to quit their prey, one
of them came to the nest where I was. He was much alarmed
when he saw me; but recovering himself, instead of inquiring
how I came thither, began to quarrel with me, and asked, why
I stole his goods. 'You will treat me,' replied I, 'with more
civility when you know me better. Do not be uneasy, I have
diamonds enough for you and myself, more than all the other
merchants together. What ever they have, they owe to chance,
but I selected for myself in the bottom of the valley those which
you see in this bag.' I had scarcely done speaking, when the
other merchants came crowding about us, much astonished to see
me; but they were much more surprised when I told them my
story.

"They conducted me to their encampment, and there having
opened my bag, they w^ere surprised at the largeness of my
diamonds, and confessed that in all the courts which they had
visited they had never seen any of such size and perfection. I
prayed the merchant who owned the nest to which I had been
carried (for every merchant had his own), to take as many for
his share as he pleased. He contented himself w^ith one, and
that the least of them; and when I pressed him to take more,
*No,' said he, 'I am very well satisfied with this, which is

[ 301 ]

THE ARABIAN NIGHTS

valuable enough to save me the trouble of making any more
voyages, and will raise as great a fortune as I desire.'

"I spent the night with the merchants, to whom I related my
story a second time, for the satisfaction of those who had not
heard it. I could not moderate my joy when I found myself
delivered from the danger I have mentioned. I thought myself
in a dream, and could scarcely believe myself out of danger.

"The merchants had thrown their pieces of meat into the
valley for several days, and each of them being satisfied with the
diamonds that had fallen to his lot, we left the place the next
morning and travelled near high mountains, where there were
serpents of a prodigious length, which we had the good fortune
to escape. We took shipping at the first port we reached, and
touched at the isle of Roha, where the trees grow that yield
camphire. This tree is so large, and its branches so thick, that
one hundred men may easily sit under its shade. The juice of
which the camphire is made exudes from a hole bored in the upper
part of the tree, is received in a vessel, where it thickens to a
consistency, and becomes what we call camphire; after the juice
is thus drawn out, the tree withers and dies.

*'In this island is also found the rhinoceros, an animal less
than the elephant, but larger than the buffalo. It has a horn
upon its nose, about a cubit in length; this horn is solid, and cleft
through the middle. The rhinoceros fights with the elephant,
runs his horn into his belly, and carries him off upon his head;
but the blood and the fat of the elephant running into his eyes,
and making him blind, he falls to the ground ; and then, strange
to relate ! the roc comes and carries them both away in her claws,
for food for her young ones.

"In this island I exchanged some of my diamonds for mer-
chandise. From hence we went to other ports, and at last, having

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SINBAD THE VOYAGER

touched at several trading towns of the continent, we landed at
Bussorah, from whence I proceeded to Bagdad. There I im-
mediately gave large presents to the poor, and lived honourably
upon the vast riches I had gained with so much fatigue."

Thus Sinbad ended his relation, gave Hindbad another hun-
dred sequins, and invited him to come the next day to hear the
account of the third voyage.

THE THIRD VOYAGE

" I soon lost the remembrance of the perils I had encountered
in my tw^o former voyages," said Sinbad, "and being in the
flower of my age, I grew weary of living without business, and
went from Bagdad to Bussorah with the richest commodities of
the country. There I embarked again with some merchants. We
made a long voyage and touched at several ports, where we car-
ried on a considerable trade. One day, being out in the main
ocean, we were overtaken by a dreadful tempest, which drove
us from our course. The tempest continued several days, and
brought us before the port of an island, which the captain was
very unwilling to enter, but we were obliged to cast anchor.
When we had furled our sails, the captain told us that this, and
some other neighbouring islands, w^ere inhabited by hairy savages,
who would speedily attack us; and, though they were but dwarfs,
yet we must make no resistance, for they were more in number
than the locusts; and if we happened to kill one of them they
would all fall upon us and destroy us.

"We soon found that what he had told us was but too true;
an innumerable multitude of frightful savages, about two feet
high, covered all over with red hair, came swimming towards us,

[ 303 ]

THE ARABIAN NIGHTS

and encompassed our ship. They spoke to us as they came
near, but we understood not their language and they climbed
up the sides of the ship with such agility as surprised us. They
took down our sails, cut the cables, and hauling to the shore,
made us all get out, and afterward carried the ship into another
island, from whence they had come.

"We went forward into the island, where we gathered some
fruits and herbs to prolong our lives as long as w^e could ; but we
expected nothing but death. As we advanced, we perceived at
a distance a vast pile of buildings, and made toward it. We
found it to be a palace, elegantly built, and very lofty, with a gate
of ebony, which we forced open. We entered the court, where
we saw before us a large apartment, with a porch, having on one
side a heap of human bones, and on the other a vast number of
roasting spits. We trembled at this spectacle, and being fatigued
with travelling, fell to the ground, seized with deadly apprehen-
sion, and lay a long time motionless.

"The sun set, the gate of the apartment opened with a loud
crash, and there came out the horrible figure of a black man, as
tall as a lofty palm-tree. He had but one eye, and that in the
middle of his forehead, where it looked as red as a burning coal.
His fore-teeth were very long and sharp, and stood out of his
mouth, which was as deep as that of a horse. His upper lip hung
down upon his breast. His ears resembled those of an elephant,
and covered his shoulders; and his nails w^ere as loner and
crooked as the talons of the greatest birds. At the sight of so
frightful a giant we became insensible, and lay like dead men.

"At last we came to ourselves, and saw him sitting in the porch
looking at us. When he had considered us w^ell, he advanced
toward us, and laying his hand upon me, took me up by the nape
of my neck, and turned me round as a butcher would do a sheep's

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SINBAD THE VOYAGER

head. After having examined me, and perceiving me to be so
lean that I had nothing but skin and bone, he let me go. He
took up all the rest one by one, and viewed them in the same
manner. The captain being the fattest, he held him with one
hand, as I would do a sparrow, and thrust a spit through him;
he then kindled a great fire, roasted, and ate him in his apartment
for his supper. Having finished his repast, he returned to his
porch, where he lay and fell asleep, snoring louder than thunder.
He slept thus till morning. As to ourselves, it w^as not possible
for us to enjoy any rest, so that we passed the night in the most
painful apprehension that can be imagined. When day appeared
the giant awoke, got up, went out, and left us in the palace.

"When we thought him at a distance, we broke the melan-
choly silence we had preserved the whole of the night, and filled
the palace with our lamentations and groans.

"We spent the day in traversing the island, supporting our-
selves with fruits and herbs as we had done the day before. In
the evening we sought for some place of shelter, but found none ;
so that we were forced, whether we would or not, to go back to
the palace.

"The giant failed not to return, and supped once more upon
one of our companions, after which he slept and snored till day,
and then went out and left us as before. Our situation appeared
to us so dreadful that several of my comrades designed to throw
themselves into the sea, rather than die so painful a death, upon
which one of the company answered that it would be much more
reasonable to devise some method to rid ourselves of the monster.

"Having thought of a project for this purpose, I communi-
cated it to my comrades, who approved it. 'Brethren,' said I,
*you know there is much timber floating upon the coast; if you
will be advised by me, let us make several rafts capable of bearing

[ 805 ]

THE ARABIAN NIGHTS

us. In the meantime, we will carry out the design I proposed
to you for our deliverance from the giant, and if it succeed, we
may remain here patiently awaiting the arrival of some ship;
but if it happen to miscarry, we will take to our rafts and put
to sea.' My advice was approved, and we made rafts capable
of carrying three persons on each.

"We returned to the palace toward the evening, and the
giant arrived shortly after. We were forced to submit to seeing
another of our comrades roasted, but at last w^e revenged our-
selves on the brutish giant in the following manner. After he
had finished his supper he lay down on his back and fell asleep.
As soon as we heard him snore, according to his custom, nine of
the boldest among us, and myself, took each of us a spit, and
putting the points of them into the fire till they were burning hot,
we thrust them into his eye all at once and blinded him. The
pain made him break out into a frightful yell: he started up, and
stretched out his hands, in order to sacrifice some of us to his
rage : but we ran to such places as he could not reach ; and after
having sought for us in vain, he groped for the gate and went out,
howling in agony.

"We quitted the palace after the giant and came to the shore,
where we had left our rafts, and put them immediately to sea.
We waited till day, in order to get upon them in case the giant
should come toward us with any guide of his own species; but
we hoped if he did not appear by sunrise, and gave over his
howling, w^hich we still heard, that he would prove to be dead;
and if that happened, we resolved to stay in that island, and not
to risk our lives upon the rafts. But day had scarcely appeared
when we perceived our cruel enemy, accompanied with two others
almost of the same size, leading him; and a great number more
coming before him at a quick pace.

[ 306 ]

Having^finished his repast; he murn0ZUt his porch, where kc
lay and- jell asleep,- snorvng^ hudef than thunder^

SINBAD THE VOYAGER

**We did not hesitate to take to our rafts, and put to sea
with all the speed we could. The giants, who perceived this,
took up great stones, and running to the shore, entered the
water up to the middle, and threw so exactly that they sunk all
the rafts but that I was upon ; and all my companions, except the
two with me, were drowned. We rowed with all our might,
and escaped the giants, but when we got out to sea we were ex-
posed to the mercy of the waves and winds, and spent that night
and the following day under the most painful uncertainty as to
our fate ; but next mornng we had the good fortune to be thrown
upon an island, where we landed with much joy. We found
excellent fruit, which afforded us great relief and recruited our
strength.

'*At night we went to sleep on the sea shore; but were
awakened by the noise of a serpent of surprising length and
thickness, whose scales made a rustling noise as he wound himself
along. It swallowed up one of my comrades, notwithstanding
his loud cries, and the efforts he made to extricate himself from
it; dashing him several times against the ground, it crushed him,
and we could hear it gnaw and tear the poor wretch's bones,
though we had fled to a considerable distance.

"As we walked about, when day returned, we saw a tall tree,
upon which we designed to pass the following night, for our
security ; and having satisfied our hunger with fruit, we mounted
it before the dusk had fallen. Shortly after, the serpent came
hissing to the foot of the tree; raised itself up against the trunk
of it, and meeting with my comrade, who sat lower than I, swal-
lowed him at once, and went off,

I remained upon the tree till it was day, and then came down,
more like a dead man than one alive, expecting the same fate as
my two companions. This filled me with horror, and I advanced

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THE ARABIAN NIGHTS

some steps to throw myself into the sea; but I withstood this
dictate of despair, and submitted myself to the will of God.

"In the meantime I collected a great quantity of small wood,
brambles, and dry thorns, and making them up into faggots,
made a wide circle with them round the tree, and also tied some
of them to the branches over my head. Having done this, when
the evening came I shut myself up within this circle, feeling that
I had neglected nothing which could preserve me from the cruel
destiny with which I was threatened. The serpent failed not to
come at the usual hour, and went round the tree, seeking for an
opportunity to devour me, but was prevented by the rampart I
had made; so that he lay till day, like a cat watching in vain for
a mouse that has fortunate'y reached a place of safety. When
day appeared he retired, but I dared not to leave my fort until
the sun arose.

*'I felt so much fatigued by the labour to which it had put
me, and suffered so much from the serpent's poisonous breath,
that death seemed more eligible to me than the horrors of such
a state. I came down from the tree, and was going to throw my-
self into the sea, when God took compassion on me and I per-
ceived a ship at a considerable distance. I called as loud as I
could, and taking the linen from my turban, displayed it, that
they might observe me. This had the desired effect; the crew
perceived me, and the captain sent his boat for me. As soon as
I came on board, the merchants and seamen flocked about me, to
know how I came into that desert island; and after I had re-
lated to them all that had befallen me, the oldest among them said
that they had often heard of the giants that dwelt in that island,
that they were cannibals; and as to the serpents, they added,
that there were abundance of them that hid themselves by day,
and came abroad by night. After having testified their joy at

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SINBAD THE VOYAGER

my escaping so many dangers, they brought me the best of their
provisions; and the captain, seeing that I was in rags, was so
generous as to give me one of his own suits. We continued at sea
for some time, touched at several islands, and at last landed at
that of Salabat, where sandal wood is obtained, which is of great
use in medicine. We entered the port, and came to anchor. The
merchants began to unload their goods, in order to sell or
exchange them. In the meantime, the captain came to me and
said: 'Brother, I have here some goods that belonged to a
merchant, who sailed some time on board this ship, and he being
dead, I design to dispose of them for the benefit of his heirs.'
The bales he spoke of lay on the deck, and showing them to
me, he said : ' There are the goods ; I hope you will take care to
sell them, and you shall have factorage.' I thanked him for thus
affording me an opportunity of employing myself, because I hated
to be idle.

"The clerk of the ship took an account of all the bales, with
the names of the merchants to whom they belonged, and when
he asked the captain in whose name he should enter those he had
given me the charge of, 'Enter them,' said the captain, *in the
name of Sinbad.' I could not hear myself named without some
emotion; and looking steadfastly on the captain, I knew him to
be the person who, in my second voyage, had left me in the island
where I fell asleep.

"I was not surprised that he, believing me to be dead, did not
recognise me. 'Captain,' said I, 'was the merchant's name, to
whom those bales belonged, Sinbad .?' 'Yes,' replied he, 'that
was his name; he came from Bagdad, and embarked on board
my ship at Bussorah.' 'You beheve him, then, to be dead.?'
said I. 'Certainly,' answered he. 'No, captain,' resumed I;
*look at me, and you may know that I am Sinbad.'

[ 309 ]

THE ARABIAN NIGHTS

"The captain, having considered me attentively, recognised
me. *God be praised,' said he, embracing me, 'I rejoice that
fortune has rectified my fault. There are your goods, which I
always took care to preserve.' I took them from him, and made
him the acknowledgments to which he was entitled.

"From the isle of Salabat, we went to another, where I
furnished myself with cloves, cinnamon, and other spices. As
we sailed from this island, we saw a tortoise twenty cubits in
length and breadth. We observed also an amphibious animal
like a cow, which gave milk; its skin is so hard, that they usually
make bucklers of it.

"In short, after a long voyage I arrived at Bussorah, and from
thence returned to Bagdad, with so much wealth that I knew not
its extent. I gave a great deal to the poor, and bought another
considerable estate in addition to what I had already."

Thus Sinbad finished the history of his third voyage; gave
another hundred sequins to Hindbad, and invited him to dinner
again the next day to hear the story of his fourth series of ad-
ventures.

THE FOURTH VOYAGE

"The pleasures which I enjoyed after my third voyage had
not charms suflScient to divert me from another. My passion
for trade, and my love of novelty, again prevailed. I therefore
settled my affairs, and having provided a stock of goods fit for
the trafiic I designed to engage in, I set out on my journey. I
took the route of Persia, travelled over several provinces, and
then arrived at a port, where I embarked. We hoisted our sails,
and touched at several ports of the continent, and then put out to

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SINBAD THE VOYAGER

sea; when we were overtaken by such a sudden gust of wind, as
obliged the captain to lower his yards, and take all other necessary
precautions to prevent the danger that threatened us. But all
was in vain; our endeavours had no effect, the sails were
split in a thousand pieces, and the ship was stranded; several
of the merchants and seamen were drowned, and the cargo
was lost.

"I had the good fortune, with several of the merchants and
mariners, to get upon some planks, and we were carried by the
current to an island which lay before us. There we found fruit
and spring water, which preserved our lives. We stayed all
night near the place where we had been cast ashore and next
morning, as soon as the sun was up, advancing into the island,
saw some houses, which we approached. As soon as we drew
near, we were encompassed by a great number of negroes, who
seized us and carried us to their respective habitations.

*'I, and five of my comrades, were carried to one place; here
they made us sit down, and gave us a certain herb, which they
made signs to us to eat. My comrades, not taking notice that
the blacks ate none of it themselves, thought only of satisfying
their hunger, and ate with greediness. But I, suspecting some
trick, would not so much as taste it, which happened well for
me; for in a little time after, I perceived my companions had
lost their senses, and that when they spoke to me, they knew not
what they said.

"The negroes fed us afterward with rice, prepared with oil
of cocoa-nuts; and my comrades, who had lost their reason, ate
of it greedily. I also partook of it, but very sparingly. They
gave us that herb at first on purpose to deprive us of our senses,
that we might not be aware of the sad destiny prepared for us;
and they supplied us with rice to fatten us ; for, being cannibals,

[ 311 ]

THE ARABIAN NIGHTS

their design was to eat us as soon as we grew fat. This accord-
ingly happened, for they devoured my comrades, who were not
sensible of their condition ; but my senses being entire, you may
easily guess that instead of growing fat I grew leaner every day.
The fear of death under which I laboured caused me to fall into
a languishing distemper, which proved my safety ; for the negroes,
having eaten my companions, seeing me to be withered, and sick,
deferred my death.

"Meanwhile I had much liberty, so that scarcely any notice
was taken of what I did, and this gave me an opportunity one
day to get at a distance from the houses and to make my escape.
An old man, who saw me and suspected my design, called to me
as loud as he could to return; but I redoubled my speed, and
quickly got out of sight. At that time there was none but the
old man about the houses, the rest being abroad, and not to
return till night, which was usual with them. Therefore, being
sure that they could not arrive in time enough to pursue me, I
went on till night, when I stopped to rest a little, and to eat some
of the provisions I had secured ; but I speedily set forward again,
and travelled seven days, avoiding those places which seemed to
be inhabited, and lived for the most part upon cocoa-nuts,
which served me both for meat and drink. On the eighth day
I came near the sea, and saw some white people like myself,
gathering pepper, of which there was great plenty in that place.
This I took to be a good omen, and went to them without any
scruple. They came to meet me as soon as they saw me, and
asked me in Arabic who I was, and whence I came. I was
overjoyed to hear them speak in my own language, and satisfied
their curiosity by giving them an account of my shipwreck, and
how I fell into the hands of the negroes. 'Those negroes,*
replied they, ' eat men, and by what miracle did you escape their

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SINBAD THE VOYAGER

cruelty ?' I related to them the circumstances I have just men-
tioned, at which they were wonderfully surprised.

"I stayed with them till they had gathered their quantity
of pepper, and then sailed with them to the island from whence
they had come. They presented me to their king, who was a
good prince. He had the patience to hear the relation of my
adventures ; and he afterward gave me clothes, and commanded
care to be taken of me.

*'The island was very well peopled, plentiful in everything,
and the capital a place of great trade. This agreeable retreat
was very comfortable to me, after my misfortunes, and the kind-
ness of this generous prince completed my satisfaction. In a
word, there was not a person more in favour with him than
myself; and consequently every man in court and city sought to
oblige me; so that in a very little time I was looked upon rather
as a native than a stranger.

*'I observed one thing which to me appeared very extraor-
dinary. All the people, the king himself not excepted, rode
their horses without bridle or stirrups. This made me one day
take the liberty to ask the king how it came to pass. His Majesty
answered, that I talked to him of things which nobody knew
the use of in his dominions.

"I went immediately to a workman, and gave him a model
for making the stock of a saddle. When that was done, I cov-
ered it myself with velvet and leather, and embroidered it with
gold. I afterward went to a smith, who made me a bit, according
to the pattern I showed him, and also some stirrups. When I
had all things completed, I presented them to the king, and put
them upon one of his horses. His Majesty mounted immediately,
and was so pleased with them, that he testified his satisfaction
by large presents.

[ 313 ]

THE ARABIAN NIGHTS

**As I paid my court very constantly to the king, he said to
me one day : ' Sinbad, I love thee and I have one thing to demand
of thee, which thou must grant.' ' Sir,' answered I, 'there is noth-
ing but I will do, as a mark of my obedience to your Majesty.'
*I have a mind thou shouldst marry,' replied he, 'that so thou
mayest stay in my dominions, and think no more of thy own
country.' I durst not resist the prince's will, and he gave me one
of the ladies of his court, noble, beautiful, and rich. The cere-
monies of marriage being over, I went and dwelt with my wife,
and for some time we lived together in perfect harmony. I was
not, however, satisfied with my banishment, therefore designed
to make my escape the first opportunity, and to return to
Bagdad.

"At this time the wife of one of my neighbours fell sick, and
died, I went to see and comfort him in his affliction, and finding
him absorbed in sorrow, I said to him as soon as I saw him:
*God preserve you and grant you a long life.' 'Alas!' replied
he, ' how do you think I should obtain the favour you wish me ?
I have not above an hour to live.' 'Pray,' said I, 'do not enter-
tain such a melancholy thought; I hope I shall enjoy your
company many years.' 'I wish you,' he replied, 'a long life;
but my days are at an end, for I must be buried this day with my
wife. This is a law which our ancestors established in this
island, and it is always observed. The living husband is interred
with the dead wife, and the living wife with the dead husband.
Nothing can save me; every one must submit to this law.'

"While he was giving me an account of this barbarous cus-
tom, the very relation of which chilled my blood, his kindred,
friends, and neighbours came in a body to assist at the funeral.
They dressed the corpse of the woman in her richest apparel,
and all her jewels, as if it had been her wedding day ; then they

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SINBAD THE VOYAGER

placed her in an open coffin, and began their march to the place
of burial, the husband walking at the head of the company.
They proceeded to a high mountain, and when they had reached
the place of their destination, they took up a large stone, which
covered the mouth of a deep pit, and let down the corpse with all
its apparel and jewels. Then the husband embracing his
kindred and friends, suffered himself, without resistance, to be put
into another open coffin with a pot of water, and seven small
loaves, and was let down in the same manner. The ceremony
being over, the aperture was again covered with the stone, and the
company returned.

*'It is needless for me to tell you that I was a melancholy
spectator of this funeral, while the rest were scarcely moved, the
custom was to them so familiar. I could not forbear communi-
cating to the king my sentiment respecting the practice: *Sir,' I
said, ' I cannot but feel astonished at the strange usage observed
in this country, of burying the living with the dead. I have been
a great traveller, and seen many countries, but never heard of so
cruel a law.' 'WTiat do you mean, Sinbad.?' replied the king:
*it is a common law. I shall be interred with the queen, my
wife, if she die first.' *But, sir,' said I, 'may I presume to ask
your Majesty, if strangers be obliged to observe this law.^'
'Without doubt,' returned the king; 'they are not exempted,
if they be married in this island.'

"I returned home much depressed by this answer; for the
fear of my wife's dying first and that I should be interred alive
with her, occasioned me very uneasy reflections. But there was
no remedy; I must have patience, and submit to the will of God.
I trembled, however, at every little indisposition of my wife, and,
alas! in a little time my fears were realised, for she fell sick and
died.

[ 315 ]

THE ARABIAN NIGHTS

"The king and all his court expressed their wish to honour
the funeral with their presence, and the most considerable people
of the city did the same. When all was ready for the ceremony,
the corpse was put into a coffin with all her jewels and her most
magnificent apparel. The procession began, and as second
actor in this doleful tragedy, I went next the corpse, with my
eyes full of tears, bew^ailing my deplorable fate. Before we
reached the mountain, I made an attempt to affect the minds of
the spectators: I addressed myself to the king first, and then
to all those that were round me ; bowing before them to the earth,
and kissing the border of their garments, I prayed them to have
compassion upon me. * Consider,' said I, 'that I am a stranger,
and ought not to be subject to this rigorous law, and that I have
another w ife and children in my own country.' Although I spoke
in the most pathetic manner, no one was moved by my address;
on the contrary, they ridiculed my dread of death as cowardly,
made haste to let my wife's corpse into the pit, and lowered
me down the next moment in an open coffin with a vessel full of
water and seven loaves.

"As I approached the bottom, I discovered by the aid of the
little light that came from above the nature of this subterranean
place; it seemed an endless cavern, and might be about fifty
fathoms deep.

"Instead of losing my courage and calling death to my assist-
ance in that miserable condition, however, I felt still an inclina-
tion to live, and to do all I could to prolong my days. I went
groping about, for the bread and water that was in my coffin, and
took some of it. Though the darkness of the cave was so great
that I could not distinguish day and night, yet I always found
my coffin again, and the cave seemed to be more spacious than
it had appeared to be at first. I lived for some days upon

[ 316 ]

SINBAD THE VOYAGER

my bread and water, which being all spent, I at last prepared
for death.

"I was offering up my last devotions when I heard something
tread, and breathing or panting as it walked. I advanced toward
that side from whence I heard the noise, and on my approach the
creature puffed and blew harder, as if running away from me.
I followed the noise, and the thing seemed to stop sometimes, but
always fled and blew as I approached. I pursued it for a con-
siderable time, till at last I perceived a light, resembling a star;
I went on, sometimes lost sight of it, but always found it again,
and at last discovered that it came through a hole in the rock,
large enough to admit a man.

*'Upon this, I stopped some time to rest, being much fatigued
with the rapidity of my progress: afterward coming up to the
hole, I got through, and found myself upon the seashore. I leave
you to guess the excess of my joy : it was such that I could scarcely
persuade myself that the whole was not a dream.

"But when I was recovered from my surprise, and convinced
of the reality of my escape, I perceived what I had followed to
be a creature which came out of the sea, and was accustomed to
enter the cavern when the tides were high.

'*I examined the mountain, and found it to be situated betwixt
the sea and the town, but without any passage to or communica-
tion with the latter; the rocks on the sea side being high and
perpendicularly steep. I prostrated myself on the shore to thank
God for this mercy, and afterward entered the cave again to
fetch bread and water, which I ate by daylight with a better
appetite than I had done since my interment in the dark cavern.

"I returned thither a second time, and groped among the
coflBns for all the diamonds, rubies, pearls, gold bracelets, and
rich stuffs I could find; these I brought to the shore, and tying

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THE ARABIAN NIGHTS

them up neatly into bales, I laid them together upon the beach,
waiting till some ship might appear.

"After two or three days, I perceived a ship just come out
of the harbour, making for the place where I was. I made a sign
with the linen of my turban, and called to the crew as loud as I
could. They heard me, and sent a boat to bring me on board,
when they asked by what misfortune I came thither ; I told them
that I had suffered shipwreck two days before, and made shift
to get ashore with the goods they saw. It was fortunate for me
that these people did not consider the place where I was, nor
inquire into the probability of what I told them; but without
hesitation took me on board. When I came to the ship, the cap-
tain was so well pleased to have saved me, and so much taken up
with his own affairs, that he also took the story of my pretended
shipwreck upon trust, and generously refused some jewels which
I offered him.

"We passed by several islands, and among others that called
the isle of Bells, about ten days' sail from Serendib, and six from
that of Kela, where we landed. This island produces lead mines,
Indian canes, and excellent camphire.

" The King of the isle of Kela is very rich and powerful, and
the isle of Bells, which is about two days' journey in extent, is
also subject to him. The inhabitants are so barbarous that they
still eat human flesh. After we had finished our traflSc in that
island, we put to sea again, and touched at several other ports;
at last I arrived happily at Bagdad with infinite riches. Out
of gratitude to God for His mercies, I contributed liberally
toward the support of several mosques, and the subsistence of
the poor, and gave myself up to the society of my kindred and
friends, enjoying myself with them in festivities and amusements."

Here Sinbad finished the relation of his fourth voyage. He

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made a new present of one hundred sequins to Hindbad, whom
he requested to return with the rest next day at the same hour to
dine with him, and hear the story of his fifth voyage. Hindbad
and the other guests took their leave and retired. Next morning
when they all met, they sat down at table, and when dinner was
over, Sinbad began the relation of his fifth voyage as follows :

THE FIFTH VOYAGE

"All the troubles and calamities I had undergone," said he,
"could not cure me of my inclination to make new voyages. I
therefore bought goods, departed with them for the best sea-
port; and that I might not be obliged to depend upon a captain,
but have a ship at my own command, I remained there till one
was built on purpose. When the ship was ready, I went on board
with my goods : but not having enough to load her, I agreed to
take with me several merchants of different nations with their
merchandise.

"We sailed with the first fair wind, and after a long naviga-
tion, the first place we touched at was a desert island, where we
found an egg of a roc, equal in size to that I formerly mentioned.
The-re was a young roc in it just ready to be hatched, and its
bill had begun to appear. The merchants whom I had taken on
board, and who landed with me, broke the egg with hatchets,
pulled out the young roc, piecemeal, and roasted it. I had
earnestly entreated them not to meddle with the egg, but they
would not listen to me.

"Scarcely had they finished their repast, when there appeared
in the air at a considerable distance from us two great clouds.
The captain whom I had hired to navigate my ship, said they

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were the male and female roc that belonged to the young one
and pressed us to re-embark with all speed, to prevent the
misfortune which he saw would otherwise befall us. We has-
tened on board, and set sail with all possible expedition.

'*In the meantime, the two rocs approached with a frightful
noise, which they redoubled when they saw the egg broken, and
their young one gone. They flew back in the direction they
had come, and disappeared for some time, while we made all
the sail we could to endeavour to prevent that which unhappily
befell us.

"They soon returned, and we observed that each of them
carried between its talons rocks of a monstrous size. When they
came directly over my ship, they hovered, and one of them let
fall a stone, but by the dexterity of the steersman it missed us.
The other roc, to our misfortune, threw his burden so exactly
upon the middle of the ship, as to split it into a thousand pieces.
The mariners and passengers were all crushed to death, or sank.
I myself was of the number of the latter; but as I came up again,
I fortunately caught hold of a piece of the wreck, and swimming
sometimes with one hand, and sometimes with the other, I came
to an island, and got safely ashore.

*'I sat down upon the grass, to recover myself from my
fatigue, after which I went into the island to explore it. I found
trees everywhere, some of them bearing green, and others ripe
fruits, and streams of fresh pure water. I ate of the fruits, which
I found excellent; and drank of the water, which was very good.

"WTien I was a little advanced into the island, I saw an old
man, who appeared very weak and infirm. He was sitting on
the bank of a stream, and at first I took him to be one who had
been shipwrecked like myself. I went toward him and saluted
him, but he only slightly bowed his head. I asked him why he

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sat so still, but instead of answering me, he made a sign for me
to take him upon my back, and carry him over the brook, signify-
ing that it was to gather fruit.

"I believed him really to stand in need of my assistance,
took him upon my back, and having carried him over, bade him
get down, and for that end stooped, that he might get off with
ease ; but instead of doing so (which I laugh at every time I think
of it) the old man, who to me appeared quite decrepit, clasped
his legs nimbly about my neck. He sat astride upon my shoul-
ders, and held my throat so tight, that I thought he would have
strangled me, the apprehension of which made me swoon and
fall down.

"Notwithstanding my fainting, the ill-natured old fellow
kept fast about my neck, but opened his legs a little to give me
time to recover my breath. When I had done so, he thrust one
of his feet against my stomach, and struck me so rudely on the
side with the other that he forced me to rise up against my will.
Having arisen, he made me walk under the trees, and forced me
now and then to stop, to gather and eat fruit. He never left
me all day, and when I lay down to rest at night, laid himself
down with me, holding always fast about my neck. Every
morning he pushed me to make me awake, and afterward
obliged me to get up and walk, and pressed me with his feet.

"One day I found in my w^ay several dry calabashes that had
fallen from a tree. I took a large one, and after cleaning it,
pressed into it some juice of grapes, which abounded in the island ;
having filled the calabash, I put it by in a convenient place, and
going thither again some days after, I tasted it, and found the
wine so good, that it soon made me forget my sorrow, gave me
new vigour, and so exhilarated my spu'its, that I began to sing
and dance as I walked along.

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'*The old man, perceiving the effect which this liquor had
upon me, and that I carried him with more ease than before,
made me a sign to give him some of it. I handed him the
calabash, and the liquor pleasing his palate, he drank it all off.
There being a considerable quantity of it, he became intoxicated,
and the fumes getting up into his head, he began to sing after his
manner, and to dance, thus loosening his legs from about me by
degrees. Finding that he did not press me as before, I threw
him upon the ground, where he lay without motion; I then took
up a great stone, and crushed him.

"I was extremely glad to be thus freed forever from this
troublesome fellow. I now walked toward the beach, where
I met the crew of a ship that had cast anchor, to take in water.
They were surprised to see me, but more so at hearing the par-
ticulars of my adventures. 'You fell,' said they, *into the hands
of the Old Man of the Sea, and are the first who ever escaped
strangling by his malicious tricks. He never quits those he has
once made himself master of till he has destroyed them, and he
has made this island notorious by the number of men he has
slain.'

''After having informed me of these things, they carried me
with them to the ship, and the captain received me with great
kindness, when they told him what had befallen me. He put
out again to sea, and after some days' sail, we arrived at the
harbour of a great city.

"One of the merchants who had taken me into his friendship
invited me to go along with him, and carried me to a place
appointed for the accommodation of foreign merchants. He
gave me a large bag, and having recommended me to some people
of the town, who used to gather cocoa-nuts, desired them to take
me with them. *Go,' said he, 'follow them, and act as you see

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them do, but do not separate from them, otherwise you may
endanger your life.' Having thus spoken, he gave me provisions
for the journey, and I went with them.

"We came to a thick forest of cocoa-trees, very lofty, with
trunks so smooth that it was not possible to climb to the branches
that bore the fruit. When we entered the forest we saw a great
number of apes of several sizes, who fled as soon as they perceived
us, and climbed up to the top of the trees with surprising swiftness.

*'The merchants with whom I was, gathered stones and threw
them at the apes on the trees. I did the same, and the apes out
of revenge threw cocoa-nuts at us so fast, and with such gestures,
as sufficiently testified their anger and resentment. We gathered
up the cocoa-nuts, and from time to time threw stones to provoke
the apes ; so that by this stratagem we filled our bags with cocoa-
nuts, which it had been impossible otherwise to have done.

"When we had gathered our number, we returned to the city,
where the merchant who had sent me to the forest gave me the
value of the cocoas I brought: * Go on,' said he, 'and do the like
every day, until you have got money enough to carry you home.'
I thanked him for his advice, and gradually collected as many
cocoa-nuts as produced me a considerable sum.

" The vessel in which I had come sailed with some merchants
who loaded her with cocoa-nuts. I embarked in her all the nuts
I had, and when she was ready to sail took leave of the merchant
who had been so kind to me.

"We sailed toward the islands, where pepper grows in great
plenty. From thence we went to the isle of Comari, where the
best species of wood of aloes grows. I exchanged my cocoa in
those two islands for pepper and wood of aloes, and went with
other merchants a pearl-fishing. I hired divers, who brought
me up some that were very large and pure. I embarked in a

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vessel that happily arrived at Bussorah; from thence I returned
to Bagdad, where I made vast sums from my pepper, wood of
aloes, and pearls. I gave the tenth of my gains in alms, as I had
done upon my return from my other voyages, and endeavoured
to dissipate my fatigues by amusements of different kinds."

When Sinbad had finished his story, he ordered one hundred
sequins to be given to Hindbad, who retired with the other guests;
but next morning the same company returned to dine; when
Sinbad requested their attention, and gave the following account
of his sixth voyage:

THE SIXTH VOYAGE

"You long without doubt to know," said he, "how, after
having been shipwrecked five times, and escaped so many
dangers, I could resolve again to tempt fortune, and expose
myself to new hardships. I am, myself, astonished at my conduct
when I reflect upon it, and must certainly have been actuated
by my destiny. But be that as it may, after a year's rest I pre-
pared for a sixth voyage, notwithstanding the entreaties of my
kindred, who did all in their power to dissuade me.

"Instead of taking my way by the Persian Gulf, I travelled
once more through several provinces of Persia and the Indies,
and arrived at a seaport, where I embarked in a ship, the captain
of which was bound on a long voyage. It was long indeed, for
the captain and pilot lost their course. They, however, at last
discovered where they were, but we had no reason to rejoice
at the circumstance. Suddenly we saw the captain quit his
post, uttering loud lamentations. He threw off his turban,
pulled his beard, and beat his head like a madman. We asked

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him the reason, and he answered, that he was in the most danger-
ous place in all the ocean. 'A rapid current carries the ship
along with it,' said he, 'and we shall all perish in less than a
quarter of an hour. Pray to God to deliver us from this peril;
we cannot escape, if He do not take. pity on us.' At these words
he ordered the sails to be lowered; but all the ropes broke, and
the ship was carried by the current to the foot of an inaccessible
mountain, where she struck and went to pieces, yet in such a
manner that we saved our lives, our provisions, and the best of
our goods.

" This being over, the captain said to us: ' God has done what
pleased Him. Each of us may dig his grave, and bid the w^orld
adieu ; for w^e are all in so fatal a place, that none shipwrecked
here ever returned to their homes.' His discourse afflicted us sen-
sibly, and we embraced each other, bewailing our deplorable lot.

"The mountain at the foot of which we were wrecked formed
part of the coast of a very large island. It was covered with
wrecks, with human bones, and with a vast quantity of goods
and riches. In all other places, rivers run from their channels
into the sea, but here a river of fresh water runs out of the sea
into a dark cavern, whose entrance is very high and spacious.
What is most remarkable in this place is, that the stones of the
mountain are of crystal, rubies, or other precious stones. Here
is also a sort of fountain of pitch or bitumen, that runs into the
sea, which the fish swallow, and turn into ambergris: and this
the waves throw up on the beach in great quantities. Trees also
grow here, most of which are wood of aloes, equal in goodness to
those of Comari.

"To finish the description of this place, which may well be
called a gulf, since nothing ever returns from it, it is not possible
for ships to get off when once they approach within a certain

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distance. If they be driven thither by a wind from the sea, the
wind and the current impel them ; and if they come into it when a
land-wind blows, the height of the mountain stops the wind, and
occasions a calm, so that the force of the current carries them
ashore: and what completes. the misfortune is, that there is no
possibility of ascending the mountain, or of escaping by sea.

"We continued upon the shore in a state of despair, and
expected death every day. At first we divided our provisions as
equally as we could, and thus every one lived a longer or shorter
time, according to his temperance, and the use he made of his
provisions.

"I survived all my companions, yet when I buried the last,
I had so little provision remaining that I thought I could not long
endure and I dug a grave, resolving to lie down in it because there
w^as no one left to inter me.

" But it pleased God once more to take compassion on me, and
put it in my mind to go to the bank of the river w hich ran into the
great cavern. Considering its probable course with great atten-
tion, I said to myself: 'This river, which runs thus under ground,
must somewhere have an issue. If I make a raft, and leave my-
self to the current, it will convey me to some inhabited country,
or I shall perish. If I be drowned, I lose nothing, but only change
one kind of death for another.'

"I immediately went to w^ork upon large pieces of timber and
cables, for I had choice of them, and tied them together so strongly
that I soon made a very solid raft. When I had finished, I loaded
it with rubies, emeralds, ambergris, rock-crystal, and bales of
rich stuffs. Having balanced my cargo exactly, and fastened it
well to the raft, I went on board with two oars that I had made,
and leaving it to the course of the river, resigned myself to the
will of God.

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SINBAD THE VOYAGER

"As soon as I entered the cavern I lost all light, and the
stream carried me I knew not whither. Thus I floated some
days in perfect darkness, and once found the arch so low, that
it very nearly touched my head, which made me cautious after-
ward to avoid the like danger. All this while I ate nothing but
what was just necessary to support nature; yet, notwithstanding
my frugality, all my provisions were spent. Then a pleasing
stupot* seized upon me. I cannot tell how long it continued ; but
when I revived, I was surprised to find myself in an extensive
plain on the brink of a river, where my raft was tied, amidst a
great number of negroes. I got up as soon as I saw them, and
saluted them. They spoke to me, but I did not understand their
language. I was so transported with joy, that I knew not whether
I was asleep or awake ; but being persuaded that I was not asleep,
I recited aloud the following words in Arabic : * Call upon the
Almighty, He will help thee; thou needest not perplex thyself
about anything else: shut thy eyes, and while thou art asleep,
God will change thy bad fortune into good.'

"One of the blacks, who understood Arabic, hearing me
speak thus, came toward me and said: 'Brother, be not sur-
prised to see us; we are inhabitants of this country, and came
hither to-day to water our fields. We observed something
floating upon the water, and, perceiving your raft, one of us swam
into the river and brought it hither, where we fastened it, as you
see, until you should awake. Pray tell us your history, for it
must be extraordinary; how did you venture yourself into this
river, and whence did you come ? ' I begged of them first to give
me something to eat, and then I would satisfy their curiosity.
They gave me several sorts of food, and when I had satisfied my
hunger, I related all that had befallen me, which they listened to
with attentive surprise. As soon as I had finished, they told me,

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THE ARABIAN NIGHTS

by the person who spoke Arabic and interpreted to them what
I said, that it was one of the most wonderful stories they had ever
heard, and that I must go along with them, and tell it to their
king myself; it being too extraordinary to be related by any
other than the person to whom the events had happened.

"They immediately sent for a horse, which was brought in a
little time ; and having helped me to mount, some of them walked
before to shew the way, while the rest took my raft and cargo
and followed.

"We marched till we came to the capital of Serendib, for it
was in that island I had landed. The blacks presented me to
their king; I approached his throne, and saluted him as I used
to do the Kings of the Indies; that is to say, I prostrated myself
at his feet. The prince ordered me to rise, received me with an
obliging air, and made me sit down near him.

"I related to the king all that I have told you, and his majesty
was so surprised and pleased, that he commanded my adventures
to be written in letters of gold, and laid up in the archives of his
kingdom. At last my raft was brought in, and the bales opened
in his presence: he admired the quantity of wood of aloes and
ambergris; but, above all, the rubies and emeralds, for he had
none in his treasury that equalled them.

"Observing that he looked on my jewels with pleasure, I fell
prostrate at his feet, and took the liberty to say to him : ' Sir, not
only my person is at your majesty's service, but the cargo of the
raft, and I would beg of you to dispose of it as your own.' He
answered me with a smile : * Sinbad, I will take care not to covet
anything of yours, or to take anything from you that God has
given you ; far from lessening your wealth, I design to augment
it, and will not let you quit my dominions without marks of my
liberality.' He then charged one of his officers to take care of

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SINBAD THE VOYAGER

me, and ordered people to serve me at his own expense. The
officer was very faithful in the execution of his commission, and
caused all the goods to be carried to the lodgings provided
for me.

"I went every day at a set hour to make my court to the king,
and spent the rest of my time in view^ing the city, and what was
most worthy of notice.

"The capital of Serendib stands at the end of a fine valley, in
the middle of the island, encompassed by mountains the highest
in the w^orld. Rubies and several sorts of minerals abound, and
the rocks are for the most part composed of a metalline stone
made use of to cut and polish other precious stones. All kinds
of rare plants and trees grow there, especially cedars and cocoa-
nut. There is also a pearl-fishing in the mouth of its principal
river; and in some of its valleys are found diamonds. I made,
by way of devotion, a pilgrimage to the place where Adam w^as
confined after his banishment from Paradise, and had the curi-
osity to go to the top of the mountain.

" AMien I returned to the city, I prayed the king to allow me
to return to my own country, and he granted me permission in
the most honourable manner. He would needs force a rich
present upon me ; and when I went to take my leave of him,
he gave me one much more considerable, and at the same time
charged me with a letter for the Commander of the Faithful, our
sovereign, saying to me: *I pray you give this present from me,
and this letter, to the Caliph, and assure him of my friend-
ship.' I took the present and letter and promised his majesty
punctually to execute the commission with which he was pleased
to honour me.

"The letter from the King of Serendib was written on the
skin of a certain animal of great value, because of its being so

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THE ARABIAN NIGHTS

scarce, and of a yellowish colour. The characters of this letter
were of azure, and the contents as follows:

*'*The King of the Indies, before whom march one hundred
elephants, who lives in a palace that shines with one hundred
thousand rubies, and who has in his treasury twenty thousand
crowns enriched with diamonds, to Caliph Haroun-al-Raschid : —

"'Though the present we send you be inconsiderable, receive
it, however, as a brother, in consideration of the hearty friendship
which we bear for you, and of which we are willing to give you
proof. We desire the same part in your friendship, considering
that we believe it to be our merit, being of the same dignity
with yourself. We conjure you this in quality of a brother.
Adieu.'

"The present consisted, first, of one single ruby made into a
cup, about half a foot high, an inch thick, and filled with round
pearls of half a drachm each. 2. The skin of a serpent, whose
scales were as large as an ordinary piece of gold, and had the
virtue to preserve from sickness those who lay upon it. 3. Fifty
thousand drachms of the best wood of aloes, with thirty grains
of camphire as big as pistachios. And, 4. A female slave of
ravishing beauty, whose apparel was all covered over with jewels.

"The ship set sail, and after a very successful navigation we
landed at Bussorah, and from thence I went to Bagdad, where
the first thing I did was to acquit myself of my commission.

"I took the king of Serendib's letter and went to present
myself at the gate of the Commander of the Faithful, followed by
the beautiful slave, and such of my own family as carried the
gifts. I stated the reason of my coming, and was immedi-
ately conducted to the throne of the caliph. I made my rever-

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SINBAD THE VOYAGER

ence, and, after a short speech, gave him the letter and present.
When he had read what the king of Serendib wrote to him, he
asked me if the prince were really so rich and potent as he repre-
sented himself in his letter. I prostrated myself a second time,
and rising again, said : ' Commander of the Faithful, I can assure
your majesty he doth not exceed the truth. Nothing is more
worthy of admiration than the magnificence of his palace.
When the prince appears in public he has a throne fixed on the
back of an elephant, and marches betwixt two ranks of his
ministers, favourites, and other people of his court; before him,
upon the same elephant, an officer carries a golden lance in his
hand; and behind the throne there is another, who stands up-
right, with a column of gold, on the top of which is an emerald
half a foot long and an inch thick; before him march a guard
of one thousand men, clad in cloth of gold and silk, and mounted
on elephants richly caparisoned.

"While the king is on his march, the officer who is before
him on the same elephant cries from time to time, with a loud
voice: 'Behold the great monarch, the potent and redoubtable
Sultan of the Indies, whose palace is covered with one hundred
thousand rubies, and who possesses twenty thousand crowns of
diamonds. Behold the monarch greater than Solomon, and the
powerful Maha-raja.' After he has pronounced those words,
the officer behind the throne cries in his turn: 'This monarch,
so great and so powerful, must die, must die, must die.' And
the officer before replies: 'Praise be to him who liveth for ever.*

"Furthermore, the King of Serendib is so just that there are
no judges in his dominions. His people have no need of them.
They understand and observe justice rigidly of themselves.'

"The caliph was much pleased with my account. 'The
wisdom of that king,' said he, ' appears in his letter, and after

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what you tell me, I must confess, that his wisdom is worthy of his
people, and his people deserve so wise a prince.' Having spoken
thus, he dismissed me, and sent me home with a rich present.
Sinbad left off, and his company retired, Hindbad having
first received one hundred sequins; and next day they returned
to hear the relation of his seventh and last voyage.

THE SEVENTH AND LAST VOYAGE

** Being returned from my sixth voyage," said Sinbad, "I
absolutely laid aside all thoughts of travelling ; for, besides that
my age now required rest, I was resolved no more to expose my-
self to such risks as I had encountered; so that I thought of
nothing but to pass the rest of my days in tranquillity. One day,
however, as I was treating my friends, one of my servants came
and told me that an officer of the caliph's inquired for me. I
rose from table, and went to him. 'The caliph,' said he, 'has
sent me to tell you that he must speak with you.' I followed the
officer to the palace, where, being presented to the caliph, I
saluted him by prostrating myself at his feet. ' Sinbad,' said he
to me, 'I stand in need of your service; you must carry my
answer and present to the King of Serendib. It is but just I
should return his civility.'

" This command of the caliph was to me like a clap of thunder.
'Commander of the Faithful,' I replied, 'I am ready to do what-
ever your majesty shall think fit to command ; but I beseech you
most humbly to consider what I have undergone. I have also
made a vow never to go out of Bagdad.' Hence I took occasion
to give him a full and particular account of all my adventures,
which he had the patience to hear out.

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SINBAD THE VOYAGER

"As soon as I had finished, 'I confess,' said he, 'that the
things you tell me are very extraordinary, yet you must for my
sake undertake this voyage which I propose to you. You will
only have to go to the isle of Serendib, and deliver the commission
which I give you, for you know it would not comport with my
dignity to be indebted to the king of that island.' Perceiving
that the caliph insisted upon my compliance, I submitted, and
told him that I was willing to obey. He was very well pleased,
and ordered me one thousand sequins for the expenses of my
journey.

"I prepared for my departure in a few days, and as soon as
the caliph's letter and present were delivered to me, I went to
Bussorah, where I embarked, and had a very happy voyage.
Having arrived at the isle of Serendib, I acquainted the king's
ministers with my commission, and prayed them to get me speedy .
audience. They did so, and I was conducted to the palace,
where I saluted the king by prostration, according to custom.
That prince knew me immediately, and testified very great joy
at seeing me. 'Sinbad,' said he, 'you are welcome; I have many
times thought of you since you departed ; I bless the day on which
we see one another once more.' I made my compliments to him,
and after having thanked him for his kindness, delivered the
caliph's letter and present, which he received with all imaginable
satisfaction.

"The caliph's present was a complete suit of cloth of gold,
valued at one thousand sequins; fifty robes of rich stuff, a hun-
dred of white cloth, the finest of Cairo, Suez, and Alexandria ; a
vessel of agate broader than deep, an inch thick, and half a foot
wide, the bottom of which represented in bas-relief a man with
one knee on the ground, who held a bow and an arrow, ready to
discharge at a lion. He sent him also a rich tablet, which, accord-

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THE ARABIAN NIGHTS

ing to tradition, belonged to the great Solomon. The caliph's
letter was as follows:

"'Greeting, in the name of the sovereign guide of the right
way, from the dependant on God, Haroun-al-Raschid, whom
God hath set in the place of vicegerent to his prophet, after
his ancestors of happy memory, to the potent and esteemed
Raja of Serendib: —

" * We received your letter with joy, and send you this from our
imperial residence, the garden of superior wits. We hope when
you look upon it, you will perceive our good intention and be
pleased with it. Adieu.'

" The King of Serendib was highly gratified that the caliph
answered his friendship. A little time after this audience, I
solicited leave to depart, and had much difficulty to obtain it.
I procured it, however, at last, and the king, when he dismissed
me, made me a very considerable present. I embarked im-
mediately to return to Bagdad, but had not the good fortune to
arrive there so speedily as I had hoped. God ordered it other-
wise.

"Three or four days after my departure, we were attacked
by corsairs, who easily seized upon our ship, because it was no
vessel of force. Some of the crew offered resistance, which cost
them their lives. But for myself and the rest, who were not so
imprudent, the corsairs saved us on purpose to make slaves of us.

"We were all stripped, and instead of our own clothes, they
gave us sorry rags, and carried us into a remote island, where
they sold us.

"I fell into the hands of a rich merchant, who, as soon as he
bought me, carried me to his house, treated me well, and clad

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SINBAD THE VOYAGER

me handsomely for a slave. Some days after, not knowing who
I was, he asked me if I understood any trade. I answered, that
I was no mechanic, but a merchant, and that the corsairs who
sold me, had robbed me of all I possessed. ' But tell me,'
replied he, 'can you shoot with a bow?' I answered, that the
bow was one of my exercises in my youth. He gave me a bow
and arrows, and, taking me behind him upon an elephant, carried
me to a thick forest some leagues from the town. We penetrated
a great way into the wood, and he bade me alight; then, shewing
me a great tree, * Climb up that,' said he, 'and shoot at the
elephants as you see them pass by, for there is a prodigious num-
ber of them in this forest, and if any of them fall, come and give
me notice.' Having spoken this, he left me victuals, and returned
to the town, and I continued upon the tree all night.

"I saw no elephant during the night, but next morning, as
soon as the sun was up, I perceived a great number. I shot
several arrows among them, and at last one of the elephants fell,
when the rest retired immediately, and left me at liberty to go
and acquaint my patron with my booty. When I had informed
him, he gave me a good meal, commended my dexterity, and
caressed me highly. We went afterwards together to the forest,
where we dug a hole for the elephant; my patron designing to
return when it had fallen to pieces and take its teeth to trade with.

"I continued this employment for two months, and killed
an elephant every day, getting sometimes upon one tree, and
sometimes upon another. One morning, as I looked for the
elephants, I perceived with extreme amazement that, instead of
passing by me across the forest as usual, they stopped, and came
to me w^ith a horrible noise, in such number that the plain was
covered, and shook under them. They encompassed the tree
in which I was concealed, with their trunks extended, and all

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THE ARABIAN NIGHTS

fixed their eyes upon me. At this alarming spectacle I continued
immovable, and was so much terrified, that my bow and arrows
fell out of my hand.

"My fears were not without cause; for after the elephants
had stared upon me some time, one of the largest of them put
his trunk round the foot of the tree, plucked it up, and threw it
on the ground. I fell w4th the tree; and the elephant, taking me
up with his trunk, laid me on his back, where I sat more like one
dead than alive, w^ith my quiver on my shoulder. He put himself
afterward at the head of the rest, who followed him in troops,
carried me a considerable way, then laid me down on the ground,
and retired with all his companions. After having lain some
time, and seeing the elephants gone, I got up, and found I w^as
upon a long and broad hill, almost covered with the bones and
teeth of elephants. I confess to you, that this object furnished
me with abundance of reflections. I admired the instinct of
those animals; I doubted not but that was their burying-place,
and that they carried me thither on purpose to tell me that I
should forbear to persecute them, since I did it only for their
teeth. I did not stay on the hill, but turned toward the city,
and, after having travelled a day and a night, I came to my
patron.

"As soon as he saw me, *Ah, poor Sinbad,' exclaimed he,
*I was in great trouble to know what was become of you. I have
been at the forest, where I found a tree newly pulled up, and a
bow and arrows on the ground, and I despaired of ever seeing
you more. Pray tell me what befell you, and by w^hat good
chance you are still alive.' I satisfied his curiosity, and going
both of us next morning to the hill, he found to his great joy that
what I had told him was true. We loaded the elephant which
had carried us with as many teeth as he could bear ; and when we

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SINBAD THE VOYAGER

were returned, 'Brother,' said ray patron, 'for I will treat you no
more as my slave, after having made such a discovery as will
enrich me, God bless you with all happiness and prosperity.
I declare before Him, that I give you your liberty. I concealed
from you what I am now going to tell you.

" ' The elephants of our forest have every year killed a great
many slaves, whom we sent to seek ivory. God has delivered
you from their fury, and has bestowed that favour upon you only.
It is a sign that He loves you, and has some use for your service
in the world. You have procured me incredible wealth. For-
merly we could not procure ivory but by exposing the lives of our
slaves, and now our whole city is enriched by your means. I
could engage all our inhabitants to contribute toward making
your fortune, but I will have the glory of doing it myself.'

" To this obliging declaration I replied : 'Patron, God preserve
you. Your giving me my liberty is enough to discharge what you
owe me, and I desire no other reward for the service I had the
good fortune to do to you, and your city, but leave to return to
my own country.' 'Very well,' said he, 'the monsoon will in a
little time bring ships for ivory. I will then send you home,
and give you wherewith to bear your charges.' I thanked him
again for my liberty and his good intentions toward me. 1
stayed with him expecting the monsoon; and during that time,
we made so many journeys to the hill that we filled all our ware-
houses with ivory. The other merchants, who traded in it, did
the same, for it could not be long concealed from them.

"The ships arrived at last, and my patron, himself having
made choice of the ship wherein I was to embark, loaded half of
it with ivory on my account, laid in provisions in abundance for
my passage, and besides obliged me to accept a present of some
curiosities of the country of great value. After I had returned

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THE ARABIAN NIGHTS

him a thousand thanks for all his favours, I went aboard. We
set sail, and as the adventure which procured me this liberty was
very extraordinary, I had it continually in my thoughts.

"We stopped at some islands to take in fresh provisions.
Our vessel being come to a port on the main land in the Indies,
we touched there, and not being willing to venture by sea to
Bussorah, I landed my proportion of the ivory, resolving to pro-
ceed on my journey by land. I made vast sums by my ivory,
bought several rarities for presents, and when my equipage was
ready, set out in company with a large caravan of merchants.
I was a long time on the way, and suffered much, but endured
all with patience, when I considered that I had nothing to fear
from the seas, from pirates, from serpents, or from the other perils
to which I had been exposed.

"All these fatigues ended at last, and I arrived safe at Bagdad.
I went immediately to wait upon the caliph, and gave him an
account of my embassy. That prince said he had been uneasy
as I was so long in returning, but that he always hoped God
would preserve me. When I told him the adventure of the
elephants, he seemed much surprised, and would never have given
any credit to it had he not known my veracity. He deemed this
story, and the other relations I had given him, to be so curious,
that he ordered one of his secretaries to write them in characters
of gold, and lay them up in his treasury. I retired well satisfied
with the honours I received, and the presents which he gave me;
and ever since I have devoted myself wholly to my family, kindred
and friends."

Sinbad here finished the relation of his seventh and last
voyage, and then, addressing himself to Hindbad, "Well, friend,'*
said he, "did you ever hear of any person that suffered so much
as I have done, or of any mortal that has gone through so many

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SINBAD THE VOYAGER

vicissitudes ? Is it not reasonable that, after all this, I should en-
joy a quiet and pleasant life?" As he said this, Hindbad drew
near to him, and kissing his hand, said, "I must acknowledge
sir, that you have gone through many imminent dangers; my
troubles are not comparable to yours; if they afflict me for a
time, I comfort myself with the thoughts of the profit I get by
them. You not only deserve a quiet life, but are worthy of all
the riches you enjoy, because you make of them such a good and
generous use. May you therefore continue to live in happiness
till the day of your death!" Sinbad then gave him one hundred
sequins more, received him into the number of his friends and
desired him to quit his porter's employment, and come and dine
every day with him, that he might have ample reason to remem-
ber Sinbad the voyager and his adventures.

[ 339 ]

1.70-32
23-OJ*